When I'm Gone
by Raggle Taggle Gypsy
Summary: After Derek dies, Penelope is left to deal with the aftermath. Will she be strong enough to carry on or will she give into temptation?
1. Broken

_Ok, this is my first fanfic in a long time and my first CM story. This takes place somewhere in season 9. Derek is killed on the job and Penelope is left to deal with the aftermath of his death._

_Will she be strong enough or will she give into temptation?  
_

_Sadly, I do not own CM or else Zugzwang would have ended much differently.  
_

_Anyways, I hope you enjoy and please give helpful criticism. :)  
_

Opening the door of the apartment, Derek Morgan looked inside before him and the UnSub's therapist slowly entered.

The man inside had taken a young girl, Tiffany Anderson, as a hostage and had threatened to kill her unless he got to talk to one of the FBI agents.

Normally, Morgan would not put himself in a situation like this. In a small area with an UnSub who had a gun, with himself unarmed. But it appeared to be the only way that the UnSub would negotiate with the FBI.

And Reid had been the only other agent at the scene. And like hell Morgan would have let that kid come in here unarmed.

"Be very careful. He stopped taking his meds two months ago." The therapist said as they edged their way around the corner.

Seeing the UnSub standing there, Morgan put his arms up to demonstrate that he came unarmed and willing to talk. "Mr. Cooper, I am Agent Morgan from the FBI. I understand that you have some demands." He shuffled his way forward to the couple. "Now, if you let Tiffany go, I will make sure that your they are met."

"Yeah right. As soon as you let me go you will cuff me and take me away." Justin Cooper pressed the barrel of the gun tighter to Tiffany's head. "I don't want to go away, I can't go back."

"I didn't bring my cuffs, here look." Morgan turned slowly around to show that his cuffs were not with him.

It happened in a flash, one moment Justin gave a nod, the next, Morgan felt something slice through his flesh and a rush of blood down his chest. Grabbing his neck, he tried to stop the bleeding with his hands. But had no luck; the blood poured through his fingers.

As his vision blurred he saw Reid and Hotch rush in and dispatch Justin and the therapist. Morgan thought he felt fabric pressed over his neck. He wasn't sure. Everything had begun fading into a cold darkness.

In Quantico, Penelope Garcia sat at her computer desk, glaring at her phone, waiting for news. Just a few moments ago she discovered a link between Justin and his therapist, Samuel Smith, and had called Reid with the new information.

By the change in the young man's voice she knew something had gone wrong, or was about to. Inside she prayed for the safety of her team.

Every time they went out, she worried. They were the most brave, selfless, and heroic people she had ever known. And she knew that they would always put themselves in danger, even if they shouldn't, for the sake of others. That is what made them good at what they did.

One day, despite their bravery and skills, one of them would get themselves hurt. She knew it.

Her phone rang and she lunged at it. "Hi. This better be good Reid."

Silence burst through from the other side.

"Reid? Spencer? Talk to me." Her voice began to lace itself with panic. Silence had proven to be bad, very bad.

"_We... we lost..."_ She could hear Reid's voice breaking as he struggled with the words.

"Who did you lose? Tiffany?" Penelope's heart froze in her chest.

"_...No... Morgan. We lost him."_

Sharply, she inhaled. "Does he have his cell phone? Give me a sec and I will track him down. Ok?"

"_Garcia... he's..."_ Penelope could hear Hotch's voice in the background and some fumbling.

Then Hotch's guff voice came, she guessed Hotch took the phone from a struggling Reid to do what the kid couldn't.

"_Garcia. I'm sorry to have to tell you this but Agent Morgan was killed today in the line of duty. Now, I need you to- Garcia? Garcia!"_

Her office and Reid's phone echoed with an animalistic wail as Penelope pulled out her ear piece and collapsed on the floor. In that moment she felt as if she would drown in her tears.

That night David walked into the BAU.

Everyone else had gone to their homes... there was no use filling out paperwork after what happened. None of them were in their right minds to do anything.

No one had heard from Penelope since... since before... Her phone remained unanswered and since it had been a Saturday, no one but Penelope would be in.

David had volunteered to be the one to check up on her. It was that damn parental instinct that pushed him to come here rather than go home and self medicate.

Walking into her office he saw her form laying on the ground, curled up in the fetal position. David knelt down and put a hand on her shoulder.

Penelope turned her tear stained eyes towards David. "He's gone..."

"I know, kitten, I know." He scooped her up in his arms and held her tight as she sobbed into his chest. As he felt her body retching with sorrow he allowed himself to cry too, shedding the tears that had been at bay for the better part of the afternoon.

The morning after Penelope woke up to the sunshine streaming through a window. Stirring she rolled over to hug the body next to her. As she felt the emptiness beside her the events of the past day came flooding back to her.

He would never be with with her again.

Looking around Penelope realized that she was in David's house. He must have taken her to his place last night... she couldn't remember anything except burring her heard into his chest and sobbing.

Curling up, she hugged the pillow next to her and allowed the grief to wash over her once more. Sobbing until the pillow had been drenched with her tears and until she felt the familiar bile rise in her throat.

She forced herself out of bed and rushed to the ensuite bathroom, and began to expel whatever contents were in her stomach. Midway through she felt someone gently grabbing her hair and holding it back, and rubbing her back with a soft hand.

After she was finished Penelope sat on the floor and leaned back against the cold tile of the bathroom wall. "Thanks" She croaked.

"No problem." He reached over and flushed the toilet. "Do you want to come downstairs and have a cup of tea with me? I have a lovely ginger one that I know you will love."

She dried her tears. "No."

"I insist. I'll even bring it up here for you. Please?"

Sighing she caved.

In the kitchen David put the tea balls in the hot water and added a spoonful of honey in Penelope's for her throat, picking up the mugs, he came back upstairs and placed them beside Penelope's bed.

David walked over to the window and fully drew the curtains back and pushed open the window, letting the light and fresh morning air into the room.

Pulling up a chair next to the bed, he sat down and crossed his legs.

"Thanks."

"No problem. So, how are you feeling?" David asked her before taking a sip of his tea.

"Like shit. You?"

"Not too well."

They both sat in silence for the next hour, nursing their tea. Listening to the birds chirping outside. It was David who first broke the stillness. "So, do you want something to eat? Some toast?"

"No thanks, I'm not hungry."

David looked at her, his eyes dark with concern. "You should eat something, if not for you at least for the baby."

Penelope's red eyes shot up. "How did you know?"

"Kitten, I've seen you running to the bathroom every couple of hours at work and I saw the change in your mood and behaviour over the past couple of weeks. I'm a profiler, my job is to watch people and know what is going on."

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Was it Morgan's?"

She looked down and nodded. "Of course."

"Did he know?"

Penelope looked out the window at the view of the river. "No... I was going to tell him yesterday but... I never got the chance to..." Once again, the tears began to flow. Pulling her legs up she clung to them as the familiar sobs racked her body.

David got up and went over to her, sat by her side, and rapped her in his arms, holding her tight to his chest. "Shh... let it out Kitten, just let it out."

The next day Aaron Hotchner stopped by David's to check up on him and Penelope. Even though Aaron himself was grieving he still had the duty of shouldering his own sorrow so he could take care of his team.

"So, how is she?" Aaron asked as they walked into the kitchen.

"Not good. All she does is either stare out into space or cry. Do you want a coffee?"

Aaron took a seat at the counter and rung his hands through one another. "Sure, It is no surprise, her and Morgan were exceptionally close... Where is she now?"

"Upstairs. She hasn't stepped foot out of her room since I brought her home. Refuses to go anywhere." David took a two blue mugs out of a cupboard and poured some coffee into them. "What do you want in your coffee?"

"Just black please. Do you think I could go and talk to her?"

David put Aaron's coffee in front of him and took the seat next to his boss. "You can try, though I doubt you will have much luck."  
He stared into the dark liquid in his cup. "She's pregnant, you know."

Aaron took a sip of his drink and savoured the flavour for a minute. "I thought so, has she told you whose it is yet?"

"Do you really need to ask whose baby it is?"

"True." The younger man toyed with the mug's handle. "David, how could I have let this happen? ... I should have been there, I never should have let Morgan go in there unarmed."

"There is no way you could have known... there is no way any of us could have... Samuel blindsided us." In an uncharacteristic show of affection David put a hand on Aaron's and squeezed it tight. "It is not your fault."

"We both know that is not true." Aaron could feel the tears stinging in his eyes, he blinked them back as he ran a hand through his hair. "I am the team's leader, it is my job to take care of everyone and if someone does not make it home, it is my fault."

"If you were there, do you honestly think you could have held him back?" David asked.

"No. But I could have given him my ankle holster... I should have done something" He sighed roughly, the grief catching in his throat. "If it is alright with you David I'm going to go and see her."

Aaron walked into the dark room, the curtains were once again closed and the only light in the room were the shards that escaped the fabric. Squinting he made out Penelope's form on the bed, curled up and hugging a pillow.

Finding a spot next to her he sat down.

"Penelope?"

When she turned to face him her appearance shook him. She was not the Penelope he had come to know, and love, as a friend. She looked more like an empty shell.

"Hi, Sir."

"No Sir today, call me Aaron. How are you feeling?"

"Like I told David, I feel like shit." She sat up and drew her legs next to her body. "Actually, I feel nothing. No pain, no happiness, no hope, no fear... Nothing. Just an all consuming emptiness."

Aaron put an arm around her and pulled her close. He felt her stiffen at his unfamiliar touch but soon she relaxed. "I know how you feel..."

"Is this how you felt when Haley was killed?"

"Yes. When I heard that gun shot... I felt as if my life ended with hers. But I promised her that I would take care of Jack... so, I needed to carry on. If it wasn't for my son... I probably would never have recovered.  
Children can do that you know? They can help heal wounds and give you a reason to carry on through the worst of times."

Penelope grunted. "I take it David told you."

"Yes. But I had my suspicions..."

She turned her eyes up to him. "Was it that obvious?"

He smiled and rubbed her shoulder. "Penelope, you work with people whose job is to study human behaviour. There isn't much you could get past us."

"Do you think he knew?" Penelope asked as she stared off into space, the tears still flowing freely.

"If you were any other person he probably would have. Though, when it came to you... he was less perceptive than he normally is... was.  
But I can tell you that he seemed... different the past week. Happier, less stressed."  
Aaron pulled back her hair and kissed the top of her forehead. "Listen Penelope, I know it may not seem like it now but things will get better. Just hold on. One day you will think of him and only feel the love that you two shared, and not this all consuming sorrow."

She buried her head in his shoulder. Hearing his words but finding them... unbelievable.


	2. Bleeding

_Thanks everyone for the encouraging words! I'm one of those people who loves to write but is terrified of putting my work out there so your words really do mean a lot. And don't worry, there are a lot more surprises coming in the next chapters.  
Anyways, here is part two of When I'm Gone._ _I hope you guys enjoy it._  
_And as usual, I still don't own Criminal Minds. *grumbles about_ _Maeve dying*_

Derek Morgan's funeral was held a week later at the Quantico National Cemetery. That morning the clouds rolled in and the rain cascaded down on the funeral party. It seemed as if heaven itself was morning the loss of a great hero.

Penelope walked through the downpour with Derek's family, behind the coffin as Spencer, Aaron, David, J.J. and Alex, along with two other FBI members brought it to the open grave.

Fran had insisted on her being apart of the family group. And despite her wish to stay locked in her room, Penelope's team had insisted that she come.

It all seemed surreal to Penelope. The words of the minister seemed so very distant and foreign to her.

She could feel the lavender rose in one hand, and she could feel Fran grasping the other. But that too seemed distant. Like it was part of a really, really, bad dream. All the wile she kept hoping that she would wake up and everything would be as it was.

The pain and grief had marked itself on all the BAU team's faces. It had been the second time they had buried one of their own and this time... they all knew that their lost team mate and friend would not be coming back.

One by one they placed their roses on the coffin. Penelope was last and as she placed her lavender rose on top of the blood red ones she kissed her hand and touched it to the cold black wood.  
'I kinda love you, Derek Morgan.'

Stepping back she felt the autumn breeze pass by her. Closing her eyes she allowed herself to briefly be taken back to the wonderful memories that she and Derek had shared over the past ten years. Placing a hand on her belly she made a silent promise to him: that she would protect, nurture, and love their child, and would make sure their child knew how brave a man it's father had been.  
Penelope flinched as the clap of thunder from the three volley salute rang through the cemetery. Bringing her back to the present and the challenges that faced her.

After, as they walked back, J.J. placed herself beside her. "Penelope, would you take a walk with me? Please?"

Penelope was about to refuse but the look her best friend gave her made Penelope cave. She shrugged her shoulders in defeat "Ok. Where did you have in mind?"

"If you don't mind the rain, there is a nice park not to far from here. Why not there?"

"Alright."

/

At the park they found a somewhat dry bench under a tree, in front of one of the many ponds.. J.J. offered Penelope an umbrella but she turned it down.

"It's hard to take in, isn't it?" The smaller blonde asked.

"Yeah, it is." Penelope faced her friend and dared to ask the questions that had been burning inside for the past week. "J.J., why did Derek go in that house without a gun? It isn't, I mean it wasn't, like him to go anywhere without a gun. And no one has told me why... No one is telling me anything! J.J., I need to know why."

J.J. took a deep breath and pushed aside her own grief so she could tell the story. "As you know, Cooper had taken a hostage, a little girl. He claimed that he wanted to talk to a FBI agent, and unless he did the girl would die. He made the demand that the agent go in unarmed.  
At first Spence wanted to go in but Derek would not hear of it. He insisted it would be him. As a precaution he chose to take in Cooper's therapist who had insisted on coming inside to help." J.J. snorted at the last remark. "We had no idea those two were both linked to the murders until you called Spence with the information.  
By then... it was too late for Derek, Smith had... had slit his throat."

Penelope stared at the children playing by the pond, her hands started shaking with anger. "Why did he always have to be so foolish? Why could he have not been more careful for once."

J.J. sighed and put a hand on Penelope's leg. "Would you have rather he let the child die?"

"No, but he could have hidden a fire arm somewhere. J.J... I.. that day... I was going to tell him I was pregnant, we were supposed to be starting our family, not burring him!"

J.J. stared down at the puddle in front of them, at the droplets of water that continuously landed. "So... when did you know?"

"A week and a half ago... I was going to tell him but..." She bit her lip in an attempt to stop herself from breaking down.

"I think he knew. He never said anything but something about him was different."

"J.J... how am I going to do this without him?... I'm so very scared at the thought of doing this alone. What if I can't handle this?"

"Penelope, you are not alone. You have all of us here to help you. All you need to do is ask and any of us will be by your side to do your bidding. And you can handle it.  
I know motherhood is a scarey prospect but I have seen you with Jack and Henry, and you are wonderful with them."

Penelope took in a deep breath. "I know, but it isn't the same, this will be _my_ child." She turned to face her friend. "I miss him..." She could not hold back the tears anymore. She let the dam break. "I miss him soo much." She wrapped her arms around J.J. and cried on her shoulder.

"I miss him too."

After a moment she let go of her friend and looked into her friend's eyes. "Listen, Penelope. Losing someone you love is never easy... but it does get better.

One day you will remember and it won't hurt. You might even smile."

/

A few days later Penelope had finally come back at her apartment.

She aimlessly walked around. Every surface she touched reminded her of Derek. Every time she touched something a memory flashed back to haunt her.

The couch where they watched movies... her curled up next to him... the last one had been Gone with the Wind, both parts. Films that Derek totally would not have seen on his own but when she gave him her pouty face he caved and agreed to come over with a bottle of wine. He always melted in her hand like chocolate.

The windowsill where he helped her practice her lines for a play, or where they sat and talked on the rare summer days they had off together.  
She smiled briefly as her hands glided across the white paint, ignoring the fine layer of dust. 'Always the noir hero.' She thought.

The kitchen counter, where after one very rough case, they made love on. For the first time last month. Penelope's blood rose as she recalled the passion and the ecstasy. When the only thing that mattered was them. Together.  
After the heated moment... when their heads had cleared, he asked her to be his baby girl, his one and only baby girl. Her heart fluttered briefly at the memory before it caved into sorrow.

Walking around she knew that she needed to get out of the place before the memories drove her mad. Picking up her phone she called Spencer.

/

An hour later they met up at A.J..s coffee shot. She noticed that he looked disheveled, and that the circles around his eyes were darker than normal, almost black. Which enhanced the redness of his eyes.

"You look like hell." She said as she walked over to him.

Spencer pursed his lips. "I feel like hell. How are you?"

"I feel like hell."

They stood there for a moment in awkward silence before he broke the stillness. "Want to go inside? It's a bit cold out here."

"Sure."

Together they walked inside and waiting in line. Penelope glanced at the menu board, thinking about what to have. She wanted coffee... good old fashioned caffeinated coffee... oh did she ever want coffee. But sadly, according to the walking fount of knowledge beside her, coffee would be bad for her baby, so that was off the menu for her. Maybe some tea, yeah, one of those fruity teas. No... not that..."

"Uh... Penelope?"

Spencer's voice broke her from her thoughts. "Huh?"

"What do you want?"

"Umm... can I have a medium decaff white chocolate mocha with shot of peppermint?"

"Sure," the cashier began typing in the order. "do you want whipped cream with that?"

Penelope shrugged her shoulders. "Sure." Normally she would have skipped the cream but seeing how she was going to get fat anyways...

"One extra large coffee, five cream and six sugars, and one medium decaff white chocolate mocha with a shot of peppermint and whipped cream, will that be all? Alright, that will be $9.15."

"I'll get this" Before Penelope could object he pulled out a $10 and handed it to the cashier.

"Thanks Spencer but I could have gotten it... after all it was me who dragged you outside."

Spencer took his change, dropped it in the tip jar, and shrugged. "No worries, you can get it next time. Besides, I needed to get out too.  
Where do you want to sit?"

Penelope pointed to a mosaic table in the corner. "That one."

"Go sit down, I'll bring the drinks." Reid pulled his bag over his shoulder. "Here, can you take this?"

"Sure."

After hanging his bag on her chair Penelope sat down. She looked at the people in the shop. Some were working on their substandard computers. Kids were busy telling their parents about their day. Couples were talking and holding hands.  
Penelope looked at her own hand and flexed it. It felt... odd knowing that Derek's dark hand would never be holding her's again.

"Hey, here is your coffee."

Penelope took the cup from Spencer and took a sip from it. She was sure that it tasted good, but she couldn't tell. To her everything had the same bland taste.

Reid sat down across from her and also began drinking his coffee.

"You know, that dairy will wreak havoc on your body later." Penelope warned him. Everyone on the team knew what dairy would do to him.

"I can't help it, I like dairy. So..." His eyes shifted uncomfortably around the shop before resting on the table. "no caffeine... I guess you really are pregnant, either that or you are trying to kick your coffee habit."

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'm pregnant. And you know what Spencer, I am sick of everybody asking me if I am. Yes I am pregnant, and yes it is Derek's, and yes I am fucking scared about doing this alone."

Spencer stiffened in his chair. "Sorry..."

Penelope's expression softened. "Don't be sorry Spencer. I'm the one that snapped at you. If anything, I'm the one that should be sorry."

"You know Penelope we are all here for you if you need us..."

"I know Spencer... everyone has offered their support. But like I told J.J. it is not the same... it is not the way things were supposed to go." Her eyes shifted to the couple next to them with a stroller by their table.  
"I was supposed to tell him the news when you guys returned... and he was supposed to take less risks, and he was supposed to be there to hold our baby."

"Sometimes things do not go the way they are supposed to go."

Penelope glared at him. "No shit Sherlock." Her looked softened when she saw him flinch. "Oh, again, I am sorry. My emotions are all over the place." Looking down she fiddled with the cardboard holder on her cup.  
"Thanks for meeting me here... I couldn't stay in my apartment without going insane."

Spencer managed a weak smile. "No problem. To many memories?"

"Yeah. Everything there is connected to him." Penelope chanced a look at Spencer's arm and saw red blotches on it.

"Spencer, are you ok? You haven't started taking dilaudid again, have you?"

He looked down at his arm and saw what she was thinking. "No, it is just a mild rash. I get them sometimes when I am really stressed." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his sobriety coin. "See, I'm clean."

"I guess this has been pretty rough on you too, hasn't it?"

"Yeah it is... he... Derek was like an older brother to me. Always there when I needed help, when he was around... I knew that my back would be safe.  
He taught me more about girls than I ever hoped to know... maybe too much about girls." He flashed a smile and for a moment he looked like Dr. Reid again instead of a mess.  
"And he taught me that it was ok to depend on another person and to let my guard down once in a while."

Blinking away the tears he continued.  
"After Maeve, I thought my heart would burst with grief. It felt as my life had come to an end along with her's." He swallowed hard at the memory of his love laying in a pool of warm blood.  
"He helped me through it all. He was there when I broke, and probably prevented me from joining her.  
For the first time I felt what Aaron felt... I understood that all consuming grief that ripped through his heart when Haley died. And it helps me understand what you are going through..."

He looked up at Penelope, the grief fully visible. "Why can't we be happy, Penelope? We do good things and we strive for good, but every time one of us is happy, something has to go wrong."

She sat there and let him express his feelings. It was so rare for Spencer to open up these days... she didn't want to do anything that would push him back into his shell.

Spencer swallowed hard. "Penelope. It should have been me in that house. I wanted to go in... no, I should have gone in." He slammed his fist down on the table. "But I was a damn coward! I let my best friend go in instead."

Penelope took a chance and reached over the table. As she touched Spencer's hand he looked at her. He looked so lost... so hurt... so much like herself.

"Spencer, it isn't your fault... you know Derek would have played the part of a hero no matter what. He would have never, ever, let you go in there. You were like a little brother to him."  
Looking out the window beside them she thought for a minute. Turning her gaze back to him she forced a small smile. "Spencer, I know this is soon, maybe too soon to ask you this... but when my time comes... I mean when I am labour... could you be there with me? I want you to be the first one to hold Derek's baby. He would've wanted you to. I want you to."

Again, he smiled and she saw a flicker of hope in his eyes. "Really? Are you sure?"

She leaned forward and gave him a serious but slightly playful look. "As long as you promise to hold my hand and not, and I repeat not, look down. If you do I will post those nude photos of you on the BAU website."

A look of horror came over his face. "Where... what... how did you get your hands on those? And did you look at those... please tell me you didn't look."

Penelope couldn't help but smile, albeit weakly, at the blush creeping up Spencer's face. "I have blackmail photos of everyone in the BAU. How do you think I got the funding from the head of the FBI for those tablets."

Spencer licked his lips and smiled. "Remind me never to piss you off."

"So, will you do it?"

"I would be honoured to." Spencer squeezed her hand. "Hey, how about we get out of here and take a walk? You know, make the best out of the sunshine while we have it."


	3. Surprise

_OK, another chapter for today. I have very little restraint... and the more comments that come in the less restraint I have._  
_This one will hopefully shed light on Penelope's budding relationship with Derek's family._  
_Read and enjoy. And as usual I own nothing from Criminal Minds. Though I really wish I did._

Four months into her pregnancy Penelope had started feeling the effects of it on her body. Most of her clothes did not fit her anymore, her ankles had begun to swell, and her mood often took drastic swings. Thankfully the morning sickness had stopped. Running to the bathroom every few hours or so to throw up had begun to get old.

Now though, lucky for her, she had to go pee twice as she normally would. So there were still a zillion trips to the bathroom.

Looking at the clock Penelope sighed. She had an ultrasound in a couple of hours and she would be finding out the baby's sex. Her mind had battled itself on the choice of finding out or not.

On one hand if she found out the sex then she would be able to buy all the right clothes and get all the right coloured items. Looking around Penelope had realized how few gender neutral baby clothes there were.  
On the other hand she could wait and be surprised when the time came. And guessing would give her something to focus on when she wasn't working on a case.  
She closed her eyes and wished Derek was there so he could have helped her choose. He would have had a level head.

In the end she came to the conclusion that she wanted to be able to buy cute baby clothes.

She turned her attention back to the computer screen and the new program she had began developing. Hopefully once this was done she would be able to hack into UnSubs computers faster and easier while bypassing even the best of security codes. Which would come in handy when dealing with creeps that used state of the art security systems that were hard as nails to crack.

"Kitten."

Penelope swiveled her chair around and smiled when she saw Rossi standing in the door. "What can I do for you?" Instantly she was pulled into the past... to another time and place where she asked the same question...  
Quickly she pulled herself back to the present. Wanting to save those memories for when she was alone. When she could safely break down.

Rossi looked at her, noting that her eyes were again red and puffy. "I was wondering if you wanted to go out for lunch with me before the ultrasound. I know this nice little sandwich shop which I know you would love."

She smiled and grabbed her bag. "Sure, just let me shut down my computers." Turning around she began to hit some buttons and instantly the screens went blank. "Is Hotch ok with this?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I cleared it with him."

"Good," Penelope pulled herself out of her chair, a task that kept getting harder with each passing day. "because I am so not in the mood to argue with him."

/

At the restaurant they took a checkered table by the window.

Penelope took a menu and began flipping through it. "Thanks, David, I am starving."

"I know, we could all hear your stomach growling." He smiled, her appetite had just recently come back. Slowly his Kitten was getting better.

She took her menu and playfully smacked Rossi with it. "No you couldn't!"

"You're right." His face then took on a serious look. "Kitten, it is good to see you smiling again... you had us all worried for a while."

"I know, and I'm sorry... I'm trying to be better, honestly." The light drained from her eyes as they glazed over. "But some days... some days I wake up with that feeling of nothingness inside of me. Actually, most days."

"Excuse me, can I start you two off with something to drink?" A young blonde woman asked. Pen and paper in hand.

"Can I just have a glass of water please?" Penelope asked.

"Sure, and for you Sir?"

"I'll have a coffee."

"Coming right up."

David took out his wallet and slid a picture out. "Penelope, I have been thinking, and I came to the conclusion that you should have this." He handed it to her.

As she looked at the picture she felt tears forming in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. It was a picture from their first date. "How... how did you get this?"

"Last month... we were cleaning out Derek's desk and we found it hidden away."

She looked up at him and he could see how hard of a time she was having keeping her emotions in check. "Thank you David..."

"You're welcome. Now, what do you want to eat?"

Half an hour, or so, later, Penelope sat back in her chair, her stomach full and her bladder starting to make her feel uncomfortable. She wanted to go pee, she really did. But her doctor had advised her to come with a full bladder. Apparently a bursting bladder would make it easier to see the baby.

"Penelope, I want to ask you something."

"What is it David?"

"I heard that you were looking for a new apartment, am I correct?"

She sighed. Nothing was private in her team. She had come to that conclusion a long time ago.  
"Yeah, there are just too many memories for me to stay at my place. Problem is that not a lot of places want to rent to a single mother to be. Well, not a lot of non-skeezie places."

David played with his coffee cup for a moment, trying to figure out how to proceed. "You know Penelope, I have the mansion... and it gets very lonely in there at times. I don't have any children... and you are the closest thing to a child that I have."  
He clasped his hands together and leaned forward.

"What I am trying to say is that I would like it if you came to stay with me. At least until you find a good place to live?"

Penelope's eyes came close to shooting out of their sockets. "Oh no. I could not do that. You see and hear enough of me already. I would never want to compromise your privacy." She failed to mention that she had no wish for him to hear her crying herself to sleep every night, and the screams that woke her from the all to often nightmares.

"Would you rather stay where you are, or would you rather live on skid row?" He asked her, his tone more serious.

"No, I wouldn't."

"Now, I would not ask you this if I did not want you to do this. You are almost my daughter and I want to help you." He gave her an almost pleading look. "Let me help you."

Seeing how badly David wanted to help softened Penelope's resolve. "Alright. If you insist."

"Good! Now let's get going, I would hate to make you late for your ultrasound."

/

The doctor's office was small with white walls, of which were plastered with diagrams of fetuses, pictures of pregnant women, and tips of birthing and pregnancy.

Penelope shifted a little. Her bladder had grown from being at the point of slightly uncomfortable to the point of very uncomfortable. She had concluded that this was really one of the downsides to being pregnant.

After what seemed like ages her doctor, Dr. Margaret Pierce, made her way into the room. "Hi Penelope, how are we doing today?"

"Well, I feel like a house that is about to have a very bad leakage problem."

The doctor stifled a laugh. "Oh Penelope, you are one of my most colourful patients. Now, let's start by taking your vitals and then we will see what grows inside that womb of yours."

In a few minutes the doctor had finished taking the vitals and had turned on the machine. "So far everything is looking good. Could I please get you to pull up your dress and lay down?"

"Sure, and you better get this over soon or I swear I will burst."

"If you do, no worries. It happens all the time and at least once to every woman." She squeezed a tube of gel onto Penelope's belly.

Penelope winced at the cold feeling of the gel hitting her warm skin. "Why don't they make that gel warmer" She grumbled as the doctor put the probe on her stomach. The faint sounds of a small heart began to bounce off the white walls.

Margaret moved the probe around around the womb, checking the progress of the baby's development and trying to see if there were any problems.

"Alright Penelope. Everything is looking... wow... that is strange."

"What is strange? Is everything ok? Talk to me woman, you can't just say something is strange and leave me hanging." Penelope babbled, feeling panic taking over her body. She didn't even care that her bladder had let go of its contents.

"Noting is wrong Penelope. You, my dear, are just having twins."

A smile replaced the terror on Penelope's face as the words hit her. "Twins?"

"Yes, I am wondering why we didn't see this before... it is most likely that one twin did a great job of hiding the other one." The doctor turned the screen towards Penelope so she could see the two fetuses. "See, there is the first one and there, to the side, is the second."

"Oh wow... Can I find out if they are girls or boys?"

"Sure... let's just move over here to get a good look at the first one... it's a girl... and over here for the second... and this one is a boy. Congratulations, you are getting the best of both worlds." Margaret grabbed a box of tissues and handed it to Penelope.

"Well, aside from the surprise of a twin everything looks normal. Would you like a couple pictures to take home with you?"

"Sure, and could I get a bag for my underwear... I kinda had an accident..."

"Of course, I will go and get one while your cleaning up."

/

Outside the office David sat in one of the chairs in the waiting room reading an old fishing magazine from 2002. He couldn't help but think that with the prices these doctors charged that they could at least have few new magazines.

"David, is it ok if we stop by my place on the way back to work? I sort of need to shower..."

He put down the magazine to see Penelope standing in front of him. "Sure, I'll just call Hotch and tell him we will be a little longer than planned. Any news?"

"Sure, but I can tell you on the way to the car."

As they walked outside the doors David gently grabbed Penelope's arm and held her. "Now, we are outside. Please tell me what went on because I am not letting you go until you do."

Penelope pouted. "You damn profilers and your never ended need to pry into the lives of others. If you really need to know... I am having twins."

David blinked. "Did you say twins?"

She smiled. "Yeah, twins. One boy and one girl."

Before she knew it David had pulled her into his arms. "Congratulations Kitten. Now I will have two kids to spoil rotten."

"David, watch it, you're squishing my tummy."

/

On the way to her place Penelope called Fran to let her in on the latest development. Over the past four months Fran had integrated Penelope into Derek's family.  
It had been nice to be welcomed into the Morgan family with open arms. And it had given her another connection with Derek.

She dialed the number and waited as she heard Fran's phone ringing.

"_Hi Penelope."_

"Hi Fran, I just finished my appointment and there's some news I think you should know." She could hear the instant worry that overtook Fran.

"_Is everything alright, dear?_

Penelope's lips curled into a smile. "Everything is more than alright. Remember last month when you were down? You remarked on me being a little big for three months. Well..."

"_Does this mean what I think it does?"_

"If you mean that you think your getting two grandbabies then yes. I'm having twins Fran!"

"_Oh my... I thought you looked more like I did with Desirée and Sarah than with Derek, but I didn't want to speculate. That, that is some really great news, dear. Oh I can't wait to tell Desirée and Sarah. They are going to be so thrilled! Did you find out the sexes?"_

"Yeah I did. A girl and a boy. And the doctor says they are both very healthy and developing normally. Fran, I'm so sorry to cut this short but my boss is expecting me back at the office and I still need to shower. I umm... had a little accident at the appointment."

"_So I get a grandson AND a granddaughter. Wow, you are really outdoing yourself, Dear. The girls will be happy to hear the news.  
And don't worry, I will talk with you later when you have more time. Take care of yourself and my grandbabies now, you hear me?"_

"Will do. And by the end if the day I'll be sending you an email with the ultrasound pictures."_  
_

/

Back at the office the BAU team occupied themselves by taking guesses at what Penelope was going to be having. Rossi had called earlier but none of the team could squeeze the secret from him.

Blake played with her tablet, she had found herself a challenging soduko game. "It looks like she is carrying high so I think it will be a boy."

"Nah," J.J. smiled. "I think it'll be a girl. Imagine, a female version of Derek walking around?"

Hotch glanced up from his paperwork. "That would be interesting. Wouldn't it?"

"You know guys, twins run on both sides of their families, two of her brothers are identical twins and Derek's sisters are fraternal twins... she could very well be carrying multiples." Reid piped up, putting yet another card down on the table.

J.J.'s eyes lit up. "Twins, now wouldn't that be amazing."

"Now the question is what type of twins because there are all sorts. Fraternal, maternal, mirror, half identical, and the list goes on. Personally I would place my bet on fraternal twins."

"It's too bad she is finding out the sex beforehand... it would have been nice to put together a baby pool."

"Wow Hotch, I never would have thought of you as a betting man." J.J. said.

"Well, J.J., I am full of surprises, what can I say?"

Reid leaned back on his chair and played with the remainder of his deck. "Beth has really done a number on you, hasn't she."

Hotch was about to answer but was interrupted when Penelope walked in with Rossi following her. "Hi ladies and gentlemen. I have ultrasound photos for you." She took them out of her bag and laid them on the table. "Take a look, I think you all will be a little surprised."

Turning to Hotch she threw him an apologetic look. "Sorry for being late... I kinda had a bit of an accident and needed to go home."

"It's ok Garcia. I think I know what happened."

"Good Sir because I-"

"Garcia, are there two fetuses here?" Reid asked as he examined one of the photos.

"You are right junior G-man. I have not one but two little lives squirming inside of me. So I expect you to all treat me extra nicely."

"Congratulations Garcia!" J.J. rose from her seat and hugged her friend. "That is some great news!"

"Thanks J.J." She clung onto her friend for a moment before letting go. "Would you guys like to know what baby clothes you are going to be getting me?"

"Sure, now out with it Garcia before I start profiling you." Hotch said, laying a playful glare on her.

"Ok... what I am having is... well, the first baby is a boy. And the second baby is... is... a girl."

"Finally! Looks like you were right about the fraternal twins Reid." Hotch reached into his bag and pulled out a sucker. "Here." He tossed it to the happy doctor.

"OMG." J.J. was close to tears. "We finally get a girl. I was beginning to think the next generation would end up being another boys club."

"Wouldn't it be hilarious if your daughter married Henry?" Reid said as he stuck the sucker in his mouth.

Penelope opened her mouth in a smile and squealed. "That means we would be a real family J.J.!"

Rossi hit the back of Reid's head. "See what you went and did. Now they will be talking about that non-stop." Laughing he ruffled the doctor's hair. "Just kidding kid."

"Alright folks, this is enough for now. We need to get started on this case. And I promise... it is unique. And Garcia, for this one I want you to come with us, if it ok?"

"Sure, of course, I just need to grab my stuff from my office."

"Team, we have a serial killer in Utah that is using some sort of viper venom to kill his victims. He kidnaps his victims, holds them anywhere from a week to three months, and then disposes of them in the desert. As far as the local department can tell the venom is administered intravenously though a vein in the right arm."

Hotch began flashing the images up on the screen.

"Hmm..." Reid chewed on his pen. "Do they know what venom is being used?"

"A full analysis of the venom hasn't been finished yet. The medical lab examining it thinks the venom might have come from a rattlesnake or at least a species of New World viper." Pressing a button he flashed another image on the screen. "In about two or so days we should know what type of snake it is for sure."

"Does he have a preference for his victims?" Blake asked.

"The only connection so far is that the victims tend to be average. No preferences for sex, hair colour, or size, which will make tracking him harder. Any other questions? Good. Wheels up in 30."


	4. Thoughts

_A cut_e _chapter where the characters express their emotions in relation to Derek's death, their own tragedies and fears, and Penelope's pregnancy. I'm sorry about Blake's part. I haven't really watched much of Season 8 yet so I can't really get inside of her head. Hopefully what did get out of my twisted mind worked._

_As for Reid: I have different plans for our favourite mildly schizophrenic doctor. Good plans. Just wait and see._

_And as usual, I don't own Criminal Minds though I really wish I did._

_Enjoy! _

**Aaron's POV.**

He looked over to Penelope, who was sitting in back of the jet, working on the case with her tablet. He sighed. There was no need to drag her to Salt Lake City with them and honestly she should have stayed in Quantico where it was safer.

But, after Morgan's death he felt some sort of need to protect her. Maybe it was because Morgan wasn't here to do it anymore, or maybe it was the fact that he wanted... no he needed... to keep his team close. And that included Penelope.

He had noticed that everyone had been clinging a little harder to one another and that more excuses had been made to go out together, to spend time at each others houses, and to stay later at the office. It was as if, for the first time, the team realized their own mortality. That they were not gods that could break down doors, save the day, and always come home safe.

Now that Penelope had two new lives inside of her... she looked more vulnerable and Aaron's instinct to protect those weaker than him had kicked into over drive.

Sighing he looked out the window at the passing clouds. At least he wasn't the only one working harder to protect her. Rossi had just convinced Penelope to move into his place in order to give her a safer home and someplace that did not hold thousands of memories of her soul mate.

Soul mate. That word tugged at Aaron's heart. It made him remember Haley. It drew him back to the memory of how they met, which he told Jack every chance he had. It drew him back to when she was sitting on his bed with the baby book, trying to pick out names. To how every name had reminded him of a killer... how and why they settled on Jack he did not know.

Now he was with Beth, and things were going great. But Aaron knew that he could never give her all of his heart, not when he buried most of it with Haley. He understood Penelope's pain. He understood how dark of a place one went to when losing the one person meant for them.

He hoped the darkness would not swallow her and consume the brightness that was her.

**J.J.'s POV**

Glancing at her phone she flipped through the photos of Will and Henry. Each one documenting a moment in their lives as a family.

She remembered when Will was shot. How, when hearing the sound of the guns, her heart stopped and her world shattered.

J.J. never thought that she would fall in love with a cop. She always told herself to never get involved with a man who had a deadly job. But Will... maybe it was the accent, or maybe it was the way he looked at her... something clicked.

Playing with her ring she thought about how she would go on if she lost Will. How she would be able to look at Henry and see Will in him. Would she stop loving her son? Or would she just spend the rest of her life resenting him. Resenting the ties he made her have.

Losing her sister had been tough. There one minute, gone the next. And losing Derek brought all of those feelings and memories back, it opened up the scar which she thought had healed.  
She could only imagine how rough this was for Penelope. That girl was as tough as nails and if she did not want you to see something, you wouldn't. Derek had been the only one to break down those walls and without him... J.J. feared that Penelope would keep the pain in, until it became too much for her to handle.

Sighing she made a promise to herself to go shopping for baby clothes when they got back. Shopping usually got Penelope talking.

**Spencer POV.**

He was going to spoil them rotten. Take them to the fair, do cool science fair projects with them, and he would make sure they got the best education. After all the years of school and all the degrees he had some pull and he would use it for Henry and for Penelope's children.

Lately he had been wondering what it would be like to be a father. What would it be like to watch your own children grow and learn?  
But for that he needed to move on from _Maeve_...  
For that he would have to actually put himself out there and take a calculated risk.

What if he did end up with someone else... and he was killed, like Derek? Could he stand the thought of leaving that person to raise his children alone? What if one of them had schizophrenia like his mother? How would she take care of that child without him? And what if he saw another woman he loved die in front of him? Would that send him into a spiral that ended with his own child committing him to a sanitarium?

These questions had begun to weight heavily on his slender shoulders.

He had been content to be a god father. But that feeling that began to rise when J.J. was pregnant was beginning to come alive again as Penelope grew. Maybe this was the biological clock people kept referring to...

Taking out his sketch pad he began to draw in the hopes of releasing his mind. Maybe if Penelope let him he could play the role of the father until she found someone other than Derek to love. If she ever found anyone else to love. Everyone said they were family and there were cases where the mother's brother(s) had taken on the symbolic role as the father. Why not capitalize on that?

Closing his eyes Spencer remembered his memories with Derek. Thanks to his eidetic memory those would never fade.

Once again he was there at the baseball field with him, Derek edging him on to play. Once again he was at the bar and he was giving him tips on flirting with women... he should really use those tips someday. Especially if he wanted children. And once again he was at the BAU Christmas party egging Derek on when him and Penelope stood under the mistletoe.

They always made the perfect couple, even if it took them forever to see it. Smiling Spencer made the silent wish to one day being able to find a love like theirs.

**David's POV.**

Good, she was moving in with him. Now he would be able to watch her and make sure she was alright. Most times she came across as coping well, but others... there were moments where she would let the real pain show through and it worried him. Penelope was like a daughter to him.

And to see her hurt broke his heart every time. It made him wish that he could take away all her pain and shoulder it himself.

Alas, that was not possible.

But at least now she was with him. And though he knew that someday in the near future she would have to strike out on her own again, he hoped she would stay for a few years.

His house was empty, he had more than enough space... in fact at times it seemed like he had too much space.  
The sound of little feet running through the halls would breathe some life into the house and into his life.  
Plus, he knew his back yard would look amazing with a playground in it.

David's mind wandered to Carolyn's pregnancy. And again he could feel the hope, the wonder, the anticipation, he could feel everything. Including the heartbreak when their son had been borne dead.

Maybe if he had been a better husband she would have stayed with him and maybe they could have tried again.

But there would be no going back, ever. Now he almost had a second chance. Although he would be playing the role of a grandfather instead of a father. But that meant he would get to spoil his grandson and granddaughter more.

Chuckling he thought about what the children may be like. If the girl was anything like her parents he would have to keep an eye on her once she became a teenager. Boys would be going nuts for her.

And if the boy turned out to be anything like Derek those boys would do well to stay far away from his sister. But the girls would be welcomed openly.

Looking out the window of the jet he let his mind wander to future fishing trips, tea parties, and nights spent watching Disney movies.

**Alex's POV.**

Thinking on the latest development in Penelope's pregnancy, Alex allowed her mind to drift. At one time she yearned for children. And at times she still caught herself wanting to feel the fluttering of life inside of her.

When she met her husband they had every intent on starting a family.

But they had so few chances to copulate that the chance encounter between their zygotes never happened. And now it had become too late. She had already gone through menopause and knew that her days of fertility had come to an end.

Seeing Penelope's womb swell had initially filled her with jealousy. But she quickly overcame that basic emotion. Penelope had been kind to her, welcoming her into the team. After of course she did her own background check on Alex. And with Penelope including her in girls nights, outings, and coffee dates, Alex had slowly become part of the intimate group which the women of the BAU had belonged to.

She appreciated the friendship of Penelope and J.J., she never had the chance before to bond with her own sex. The last time she had been in the BAU it had been a boys club and the only other woman there had been Strauss, and they never were close. Probably made it easier for Strauss to cut that rope.

At first it had been rough. She filled a spot held by Agent Prentiss, who had integrated successfully and with ease. Alex had been nervous, for the first time in years she had felt butterflies in her stomach. But Penelope had been the one to make the first move. She extended the first hand of friendship. And with that initial move the rest of the team had opened up to her.  
For that she would be forever thankful to Penelope and though Alex couldn't morn for Morgan as fully as the rest of the team did had she would do her best to stand by her new family and help them.

**Penelope's POV.**

Twins. Mostly the thought of twins made her uber excited at the notion that she was having both a boy and a girl. But a little part of her was extremely nervous.

She did not have a clue of how to be a mother. Her own mother had been away most of the time at rallies and protests... so Penelope did not get a chance to learn solid parenting skills from the one woman that should have taught her.  
Sure, she baby sat Henry plenty of times and even Jack on the rare occasion but those were other people's kids and she always had the ability to hand those children back.

It would be hard to hand her own children back.

And what if something happened to her? Would Fran take care of them? Would she rip them from their lives in Quantico to take them to Chicago? And what if she couldn't take them...Penelope did not want them in the foster care system... she had seen one to many foster children end up as UnSubs to allow that to happen.

And what if she turned out to be a really bad mother? Like, so crappy her children hated her?

Nah, she knew that she could never be that bad of a mother. She loved her babies too much to be that bad of a mother.

Putting her tablet down she looked out the window and thought about what had happened in the past five months. Her soul mate and her finally took that vital step to go from very good friends to really good partners and had become closer than they ever thought possible. She had lost her love with a flick of a killer's blade. And she had entered the first stages of motherhood. It was a lot to take in.

She thought about that fateful night when he came to her apartment. Broken and hurt, and needing her. That night had been a blur of passion and love as they crashed through the wall of sexual tension that they had spent ten long years building.

The morning after, when their heads were clear, they had talked about where they were heading, and what they wanted from each other. They agreed that it was time to move either together or apart... and neither of them could live without the other.

She thought about their first date, the restaurant by the river, the sunset, the walk along the water's edge. How her heart stopped when he told her that he loved her. Sure, there had been other times but that one... it was different.  
A small smile spread across her face when she remembered how he looked in the moonlight.

She was trying to be strong, honestly she was. But sometimes she would sit in the dark and let the grief take her. And sometimes the only thing that kept her going were her babies. Without them... she might have given into that ever present temptation, that sickeningly soothing voice that spoke to her.

But she needed to fight, if only for them. Looking around at her team, each lost in their own thoughts, she realized, once again, that she was not truly alone in her joy, pain, or grief.

She had a network of people waiting to do her bidding, and a godson that needed her in case something happened to Will and J.J.

Penelope just needed to keep fighting the darkness that kept calling her name...


	5. What's In A Name

_Sorry for th__e wait, I accidentally saved over this chapter and had to write it from scratch. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it.  
__Lenika08:__ I suck at languages so I had to translate by google. I think you're asking if Penelope will fall in love again? If I'm wrong please tell me. As for an actual answer you will have to keep reading. ;)_

_Anyways, as usual I don't own Criminal Minds, if I did I would die a happy woman._

Penelope struggled with her luggage. Lugging around two laptops, a tablet, and three phones, in addition to her personal baggage, was proving not to be an easy task for someone in her condition.

"Here, let me help you." J.J. reached over and took one of Penelope's laptop bags and a carry on bag from her.

"And I'll take that large bag." Blake took her suitcase on wheels from her friend's clenched hands.

"Thanks." Penelope flashed a grateful smile at her friends. "I can't believe the guys took off like that." She grumbled as they made their way down the stairs. "They claim they want to help but as soon as the door opens they are out of here."

J.J. sighed. "Men simply don't understand what it is like to be pregnant and the challenges of having a belly getting in the way."

"I've never had a child, so what is your reasoning for me offering to help?" Blake asked.

"You help because you are a nice person. And I do mean that in modern terminology!" J.J. replied before all three women burst into laughter. The notion of 'nice' had become a running joke in their clan.

/

Next morning at the station Penelope hooked up her equipment and set herself to work. She may feel less like a Mozart here but with her awesome travelling tech station she felt close to being a Salieri.

And as long as Hotch didn't expect her to be on t.v. she would be fine.

"Garcia?"

"Yes Sir?" She swiveled around. "What would you wish me to do?"

A small smile cracked. "Nothing for the moment, just checking up on you before the team heads out. How are you?"

"Well, after having to lug my luggage off the plane I am doing fine." She smirked. "Thanks for the help btw. If J.J. and Blake were not there I probably still be trying to get off the plane."

"My apologies Garcia. I guess we were a little too anxious to get started. Next time remind me and I will personally help you. Aside from that issue, are you alright?

"Yes Sir. I am all set up and ready to take your requests."

"Good. Reid and I are heading to the morgue, Rossi is heading to the next dump site with Blake, and J.J. is will be talking to the victims families. If you need anything call one of us, ok? Good. In the meantime conduct a background check on all the victims and see if there is something to connect them."

/

Half an hour later Penelope's phone began to ring. Checking the id she picked it up. "Good morning Mr. Doctor, what may I do for you?"

"_Garcia, we just got the toxicology report for the venom being used. Can you look up the fer de lance for me?"_

She busied herself typing and searching. "Wow, that was fast. Hotch didn't expect the results for another day.  
Ok, so I have results for a french lance and a snake, considering we are dealing with venom I am guessing you want the snake. Alright, this snake lives in Eastern Mexico, Central, and South America. Large species of viper, responsible for a good portion of snake related deaths, I wouldn't want to get on the bad side of one."

"_Can you look up owners in the area, along with shipments of fer de lances over the past 10 years or so from the countries it is native from?"_

"Can I? Of course. I will get my engines running and will get right back to you as soon as I have a hit. Garcia over and out."

Typing she pondered on how sick some people of the human race were. The killers never seemed to stop at finding new ways of killing others. But, that had been the way of the human species. Grumbling she thought of how much nicer it would be if an Utopia really did exist.

Jotting down notes she compiled the information that Reid had wanted from her. 'Am I a tech goddess of what.' She thought to herself.  
Picking up her cell she dialed. When the call went straight to voice mail her heart began to race. Quickly she dialed Hotch, hoping nothing bad had happened.

"_Garcia?"_

"Hey Sir, is Reid with you?" 'Oh please let him be with you, if something happened-'

"_Yes, he just forgot to charge his phone last night."_

"I am going to have a talk with him when we get back. He shouldn't scare a pregnant lady like that. Anyways I have some information for you guys. That viper that Reid wanted me to look up... there are no local owners that are registered or shipments into Utah because guess what? It is illegal to keep these snakes as pets in Utah. And before you ask there are no zoological facilities in the area that have one in their collection."

"_Do you have information on illegal shipments?"_

She smiled. She loved it when people asked her if she already had information. "Of course I do Boss Man. There were a few illegal shipments busted, mostly for drugs but one stood out. Antonio Leven. He was busted eight times last year for trying to illegally ship tortoises, caimans, and snakes. Each time he was busted he spent no more than a day in jail which probably means he has some very high connections. And before you ask I connected him with Andrew Winchester who is an oil tycoon who happens to like collecting exotic and highly illegal animals."

"_Good work Garcia. We'll check it out."_

Leaning back she played with the fluff on her pen. "You are welcome boss."

Picking her bag up she slipped a framed picture out and placed it on her desk. It was the seven of them standing together at J.J.'s wedding. She ran her finger over the top of the frame and wondered how she would go on if another member of her team left... first Em, and though Penelope knew she had a good reason for leaving, it still stung her that after a year of being back em left again. And then Derek... her love. The father of the children inside of her. Gone in a split second... she had not been allowed the chance to even say good-bye to him...

Now it seemed that every time someone took a little longer to answer their phone, or didn't answer at all, she would panic and think the worst. Probably because the worst had already happened, twice.

She allowed her mind to wander back in time and relive the precious memories buried inside, trying to put more power into the happy ones.

The sound of her phone broke her trance. She answered it and prepared her fingers for typing. "Hi my beautiful blonde goddess. What may I do for you J.J.?"

"_Reid and Hotch just got done checking with Winchester and he doesn't know anything. But he did mention that one of the snakes in his collection had gone missing. He figured that it didn't need reporting, since it was illegal."_

"Let me guess, it was a fer de lance?"

"_Yes. It was stolen just before the first victim was kidnapped. Can you look and see if Winchester had any bad blood with someone? Or any employees of his that have been fired of laid off recently?"_

"Sure J.J., give me a second... hmmm... no one laid off or fired, but there was one person that quit a month before the first victim, his name is Ken Morison. Turns out his sister had worked there too and was bit by one of the other snakes... a Gaboon viper. Sadly she never made it to the hospital."

"_Why wasn't Winchester caught then? It must have been obviou_s _that someone had been keeping that snake."_

"The report on her death states that the snake was hers. It looks like Winchester blamed her for it. He must have brought the animal to her place because after her death animal control raided her apartment and found the snake already dead." Penelope bit her lip. "Something doesn't seem right. If Ken stole the snake it would make sense that he would use the venom on his boss... not on someone else."

"_Maybe he is working his way up to Winchester. Either way we will check this out. Do you have the contact info for Morison? Or do I even need to ask?"_

"Aww J.J., I think after everything we have been through you would know me better than that. Of course I have the information and it is being sent to your phone as we speak." Penelope moved her mouse and hit send on the email. 'Am I good or am I good? There you go. Now go have fun catching the bad guys and be safe."  
Penelope stretched out her back and yawned as her stomach began to growl.

"Sounds like you two are hungry. Give momma a second and I will feed you, ok?"

Hauling herself up she waddled to the fridge in the precincts lunch room. Her mid morning sandwich had better be in there or else someone would pay dearly. Opening it up she breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed her lunch along with the bottle of orange juice she had stashed in there.

Waddling back she sat herself at her desk and began tucking into her lunch. She savoured it as the flavours of the olives, pickles, and red peppers, mixed and melted inside of her mouth with the ranch sauce. Never in her life would she had believed that such a combination of food could ever taste so heavenly, so good, and be so very satisfying. It was almost as good as sex.

After Penelope was done she licked her fingers and got back to work. Something about this case made no sense. Something didn't line up properly and she would find out what come high water or hell.

A couple long hours later she had the break. She actually had the break and boy would it going to be a surprise for Hotch.

She dialed the number and picked her nails while she waited. Why was he taking so long? If he was ig- "Hi Sir. I did some extra curricular digging and oh boy did I find something."

"_What_ _is it Garcia?_

"Ok, so Winchester's mother had been an exotic snake handler that died two years ago handling a snake in Costa Rica, before you ask it was a fer de lance. Morison's sister had died from a different snake so it didn't make any sense, but now it does.  
Winchester, last year, was admitted to the emergency room not three, but four times, envenomated with fer de lance venom. On record he was bit by a 'friends' snake but off record he was trying to see if people could build up an immunity to venom by administering himself with small doses. Problem is that he came close to dying more than once."

"_How does Morison fit into this?"_

"He doesn't, Sir. Just a person who was working for the wrong person at the wrong time. Sir, what if Winchester had been experimenting on his victims to see if they could build up an immunity? After all, the coroners reports say the victims had been injected with venom multiple times."

"_It could be possible, but if he is our UnSub then he would need a facility where he could do this in private."_

"Already ahead of you. He doesn't have any useful property but his father does. His father owns an old veterinary clinic outside of town. He had planned to turn it into a state of the art animal hospital but the plans fell through and it remained vacant for the past year."

"_Can you send all of us the address?"_

"Can I? Yes. Will I? Of course. Be safe and come home in one piece."

/

That night the team had boarded the jet and were on their way home. Penelope had been right. Winchester had been kidnapping people to see if an immunity could be possible but he always ended slipping up and killing his victims. She had been wrong about Morison's sister. She did play a part.

She had stumbled on copies of Winchester's plans and when she confronted her boss on the matter he killed her by using venom from one of his gaboon vipers.

Penelope shifted in her seat to find a comfy spot. "What Winchester did... how could he have done it?"

"Actually there have been some cases, thought only a handful, where people have built up an immunity to snake venom, but in those cases they started using snakes with less potent venom. Not one of the deadlier New World vipers." Reid placed a card on the table and waited for J.J. to make her move.

She put down a jack and drew another card from the deck. "What I don't get is how he thought that he could get away with... everything? When Rossi talked to him he didn't seem at all afraid of the consequences."

Rossi put his book down. "That's because he's rich. He thought his money could save him from anything."

"Little did he know that Morison had higher connections than he thought. You can't kill the FBI director's cousin and get away with it." Blake crossed her arms and leaned back. "The thought that he could have gotten away, if Morison was not killed, tells us how we value society."

J.J. looked over and saw Penelope starting to shake. "Ok, enough with the gruesome killer talk, let's talk about something happy."

"Oh! Comicon is next week," Reid's eyes lit up. "anyone want to go with me? Anyone?" He looked over at Penelope.

She shook her head. "Sorry Reid. I don't think I would be any fun this year. Plus I don't want to think about fighting my way through all those people, all I want to think of is a nice hot bath." She saw his face fall and tried to save the moment. "Maybe next year we can dress up my babies and take them. That would be fun and you will get to talk to all the ladies that will come up to see them."

"Speaking of your babies, have you given any thought to names?" Hotch asked.

"Not really. I mean I have a could girl's names picked out: Grace, Bridgett, Fiona. But I have no idea what to name my boy."

"Joshua is a pretty name." Blake said. "I always thought if I had a son I would give him that name..."

"Hey! How the hell did you draw an ace?" Reid exclaimed as J.J. put her card down, effectively winning the game. He picked up the deck of cards and began scouring, seeing where he went wrong. "Hoe about Alec? After the Greek protector and helper of mankind."

"I vote for Thomas, a good solid name." Rossi grinned. "I think it would fit him."

Penelope looked out the window, confused and shy. "I don't know... none of those names seem to fit."

J.J. popped a peanut in her mouth, savouring her win. "You know guys, she won't know until she looks at them. I loved the name Andrew but when I looked at Henry for the first time... I knew Henry would be his name.  
We can speculate. But don't put too much pressure on Penelope."

"Thanks J.J." Turning her eyes on Reid she glared at him. "And mister, I almost forgot this but lucky for me I didn't. What on god's green earth made you forget to plug in your cell phone last night?"

Reid sunk down in his seat. "Sorry..."

"Don't sorry me. You had me scared shitless when your phone went to voice mail. Don't you ever do that to me again boy, you know what I can do to you."

His eyes shot up. "You wouldn't..."

Penelope grinned a devilish grin. "Oh, if you pull that again, I will. You can bet your pretty hair on that."


	6. I Don't See Danger

_A new case, a new chapter, and new drama. The team is going to New Orleans for a case that is odd, deviant, and will effect Penelope in a very personal way.__  
I have plans for the characters, don't worry. And I promise it will be nice. Well, after this it will be nice, mostly. I'm just going to shut up before I give anything away...  
And as for spelling mistakes... it if were not for spell check and google, my writing would probably make even less sense than it does now, lol. So no worries.  
As usual I do not own Criminal Minds... I really don't._  
_Enjoy _;)

Penelope had entered the 6th month of her pregnancy. Her feet were even more swollen and she had long ago given up her heals and flats... oh how she missed her pretty shoes. But Penelope's back would not let her wear them anymore. So sneakers would have to do.

And she had to replace her entire wardrobe, it had proven hard to find maternity clothes that fit her tastes. Most were dull, lifeless, and 'normal' looking clothes that made her feel more like a mere mortal rather than herself.  
Lucky J.J. and Alex had dragged her out on plenty of shopping trips, helping assist in finding the allusive clothes Penelope needed.

The team were headed to New Orleans with Will to consult on a case, and as usual she was with them. Lately she had been going on almost every case with them. Which was more than alright with her.

The plane banked left and Penelope felt one of the babies twist. Shifting, she tried to make herself more comfortable. A futile effort but she was going to try anyways.

"Are you alright Kitten?" Rossi asked her.

"Yeah, just that one of the babies decided that he/she did not like that last turn. It is such an odd feeling to have something actually inside of you: living and moving."

"I know what you mean." J.J. said, putting down her book. "When Henry started moving it felt weird. But in the end you do get used to it."

"Can I feel it?" Reid asked

"Sure." Penelope lifted up her shirt to expose her belly.

He softly put a hand on her stomach and gasped when he felt something, he thought it felt like a foot, press up against his hand. "Wow." He looked up at J.J. "You and Will have to make more of these because... I do not think I will ever stop being amazed by this feeling."

Penelope smiled at Reid's reaction. He could be so very adorable at times.  
But she could not stop the feeling of grief from flooding over her when she realized that these were the only babies of Derek's she would ever have, and this might very well be her last pregnancy.

She had sworn to herself that she could never, ever, love another man as deeply and as wholly as she loved Derek. He had been her soul mate and her heart had died with him. She may catch another man's eye in the future... but whomever he would be... he would never catch her.

Snapping back she could hear J.J.'s tinkly laugh. "I will talk to him about it, but maybe you should work on getting some yourself Spence. You would make cute babies."

Spencer threw J.J. a small glare. "You know if you guys stopped bugging me about finding a girl to settle down with then I might actually find a girl. Piling the pressure on is not helping..."

"Alright team, I know babies are a wonderful thing but we need to start working on the case. We land in about fifteen and I want to get a profile started. Get your tablets out, and Reid you can get out your folder.

"So we have a case in where pregnant women are being kidnapped, their babies harvested, and then the women killed. So far he has taken five women. Don't worry Garcia, the women being taken are in their last month of pregnancy, but just in case I don't want you leaving the station without an police escort, got it? Good."

Reid shifted through his papers. "It looks like the women being kidnapped are also all blonde haired and blue eyed."

"Could he be aiming for the Swedish Supermodel Rule?" J.J. asked.

"It looks like it," Blake looked through the photos on her tablet. "all the fathers seem to carry the genetic traits commonly associated for producing blonde haired and blue eyed infants."

Reid's pursed his lips as he looked at the pictures. "And the bodies are being stripped and dumped in public places in what looks to be provocative poses."

Hotch leaned back. "So he must either know the women personally or he spends a decent about of time stalking them, and with the bodies it is evident that he has a low opinion of women.  
Garcia, when we get in could you start searching for a possible connection between the families? A support group, sports group, or even maybe a service personnel?"

"Sure thing Boss Man."

"We might also want to look for someone with financial problems. If this guy is willing to take this risk for an infant than he might be in some sort of trouble."

"Good point Reid, could you look that up as well Garcia?"

"No problem Sir."

/

When they made it to the police station the unit chief already a room set up for them, one of the advantages of coming back to the same precinct. And this time they even had a room for Penelope to work in.

Walking in she looked around. There was plenty of desk space to set up her lap tops and tablet, but the PC was far outdated. Sighing she put her bag down.  
'I guess this will have to do.'

She pulled out both her laptops and sat them beside the computer, Penelope reached into her back to get the cords to hook everything up and looked down. The modem sat on the floor.  
'Crap.'

Looking out the small window she spotted Hotch close by talking to a female officer. Not very tech savvy but he would have to do.

"Agent Hotchner?" She called from the door. "I need your help."

Dropping his conversation with the local office he came into the room. "What can I do for you Garcia?"

She thrust the cords into his hands. "I need your help plugging these into the modem. It is on the floor and if I sit down there I might not get up."

"Sure." With a bit of effort he took a seat on the floor next to the modem. "Where do you want these plugged in?"

"There should be a green plug and a blue plug. The cords with the pointy ends goes into the blue plugs. Yeah like that, momma likes that. And the cords with the flat bits goes into the green plugs. Oh yeah, like that."

"Is that all Garcia?" Hotch asked.

"Yeah, thanks Sir."

"Garcia," He pulled himself up off the floor and brushed off the dust clinging to his suit. "once you get settled in let me know so we can go and check into the hotel."

/

The next day Penelope sat herself in front of her computers. Decaff coffee from the hotel in one hand and a cop shop doughnut in another. She was about the take a bite of the it when she heard Rossi behind her, clearing his throat.

"Is that what you are eating for breakfast?"

Turning around she gave Rossi the look of a kid with her hand caught in the cookie jar. "Yes..."

"Uh hu." He came forward and took the doughnut from her. "There is no way you are having a doughnut for breakfast. Call J.J. and get her to pick you up some real food."

Penelope pouted. "But Rossi, I am starving and momma can't do anything with an empty stomach. Especially with two little ones that want their breakfast."

Reaching into his jacket he pulled out a granola bar and tossed it at Penelope. "There, that should hold you over until J.J. gets in. Now, don't let me see you eating any junk food or else there will be hell to pay young lady."

She leaned back into her chair and groaned. "Yes dad."

Smiling, Rossi left to follow the trail of bodies the UnSub had left. He wouldn't tell her, ever, but he loved it when Penelope called him dad.

/

After she inhaled the granola bar and called J.J. to get some 'real food' Penelope turned her attention to the screens in front of her and commenced her search.

This son of a bitch was ripping mothers from their babies and if Penelope had anything to say about it he would be behind bars for a very long time.

After some searching, digging, and hacking, she found the Davis family, the Jefferson family, and the Vaudeville families all had serious financial issues. She also found that Mrs. Vaudeville was sleeping with Mr. Jefferson, and in turn Mr. Davis was sleeping with Mrs. Jefferson, and that Mrs. Davis was having an affair with a Mr. Montegez who had been sleeping with the rest of the wives.

'Does everybody cheat in this town...'

Pulling out her cell she called Hotch. "Hey Tall, Broody, and Handsome. I have some interesting news for you."

"_What is it Garcia?"_

"Ok, so I am pretty sure everyone in this city is not sleeping in their own beds. I checked and Mr. Davis was sleeping with Mrs. Jefferson, Mrs. Vaudeville was sleeping with Mr. Jefferson, and all the women were sleeping with someone named Enzo Montegez. There is like this uber strange love triangle going on here."

"_Wow. That is... indeed strange... Thanks Garcia. Anything else?"_

"Well, Enzo's wife Loretta left him six months ago and is filing for divorce... judging by the court documents it is a nasty case. They are both trying to take the other to the proverbial cleaners."

"_Can you get me addresses for both of them?"_

Pouting she feigned hurt. "Oh Boss Man, I am hurt that you don't know me better. I already have them and are sending them to your tablet as we speak."

"_Garcia?"_

"Yeah?"

"_You're amazing,"_

Her blood red lips twisted into a grin. "I know."

Hanging up she shifted in her chair. Penelope's back was getting really stiff from sitting for the past three hours, plus or minus a few minutes where she got up to pee.  
Struggling she got up from her chair and grabbed her purse and slipped her tablet in. It was time she took a little walk around the block to stretch her legs.

Looking around the office she spotted the female cop Hotch had been talking to by the coffee pot. As much as she wanted to go out alone... Hotch would kill her if she did. "Hi, miss..."

"Olivia Cortez. You're the tech analyst, right?"

"Yeah, Penelope Garcia, hey is that decaff?"

Olivia shook her head as she put back the pot. "Sorry, but there is a nice place two blocks away that has coffee."

"If you are not too busy could you come with me and we could grab a couple cups? My treat."

Glancing quickly at her cup, Olivia poured it down the drain. "Sure. This stuff is awful anyways."

Penelope beamed. "Thanks, my back was killing me from sitting in that chair all day and my team leader has forbidden this goddess from going out alone."

Sitting outside at the edge of the cafe Penelope savoured the warm air, Olivia had just brought the coffees and the two women were beginning to loosen up and chat. They were the only patrons outside which allowed them to talk freely.  
"You know back in Quantico we have a shit ton of snow right now." She took a deep sip of her coffee, savouring its flavour, and licked the whipped cream that ended up on her lip.

"Ah, I wish we had it here. The snow is one of the things I miss about home. I grew up in Idaho so the warm air is still strange to me.

"So, how far along are you?"

"Six months. I know... I'm big but that's because there are two in there."

"Wow," Olivia's eyes gleamed with interest. "I bet the father is really proud."

Penelope looked down at her cup and fidgeted with the lid. "I wouldn't know. He died before I had the chance to tell him I was pregnant." She took a sip of her coffee.

Olivia's face took on a tender look. "I'm sorry to hear that. I am sure he would have been happy to have such a colourful person in his life."

"I think he would to." Penelope's head had begun to spin and she badly needed to go to the bathroom "Excuse me for a second, I need to use the loo."  
She stood up and the world began to spin, she had to grab the table to keep her from falling down. "Maybe I should just sit down and hold it in a little longer..."

/

Around 14:30 Rossi came back to the station. He had some new information for Penelope to look up and had also brought her a burger and a salad to eat.

Sometimes he swore that if he didn't watch her she would just eat whatever was close by and ignore her health... and in turn the health of his future 'grandchildren'.

He walked into the office to see Penelope and her bag gone. Turning around he looked at the person sitting at the front desk. "Hey, have you seen our tech analyst? The pregnant woman?"

"Yeah, she left with Officer Cortez about two hours ago. I overheard them saying they were going to walk to Lucky's coffee shop."

"Olivia Loretta Cortez?" Rossi asked. His heart hammering in his chest.

"Yeah, that's her. Why?"

Rossi walked over and started down the man. "Was she recently divorced?"

"Not yet but she filed about six months ago, left him around eight, says she caught her husband cheating. Apparently he got about three women pregnant and this was after he said that he didn't want to have children. He was a real peach that one."

"...What was her husband's name?"

" Enzo Montegez."

Running into the office Rossi took out his phone and dialed Hotch. "Hey, I think I know who our UnSub is..."

"_Who?"_

"Olivia Cortez. And Penelope is with her."

/

Penelope woke up tied up to a chair in the middle of a sparse bedroom, her brain pounded at her skull, as if it wanted to break free. On the walls she saw pictures of a couple, but the husband's face had been scratched out.

Olivia walked in and grinned. "Hi Penelope, I see you have finally joined the land of the living. How are you?"

"Let me go... please?" She tried to struggle against the ropes holding her. But had no luck.

"Oh no my sweet. I can't do that. See, my husband had the nerve to cheat on me with three, three women, can you believe it?! And if that wasn't enough he impregnated all of them.

She took a knife and began playing with it. "You know what he said when I told him I wanted kids? That he did not want them. You know what he really meant? He did not want to have them with me, his wife.  
Anyways, I am divorcing his ass... unfortunately he is drawing this out and wasting my money. And being a cop doesn't really pay that well. So... I took and harvested their babies, and I sold them. Ha, I am using his bastards to pay for my divorce. And I took a few other women too. Mostly vagrants, street dwellers, no one anybody would really miss, to help cover the costs.  
How smart was that? I'd say it was a pretty ingenious idea."

Olivia took the knife and slid the side down Penelope's belly.

"You know a set of twins could easily fetch me 50K. Even with your brown eyes I could still get a pretty penny for them.  
Problem with you is that I will have to wait a few months before I can harvest your babies. But I can wait. I am a patient woman."

Penelope swallowed hard. "Please... let me go... these children... they are the last thing I have..."

"And let that bastard ruin me? Never." Olivia leaned forward and glared at Penelope. "You, are my ticket out of here and I will not let anything come between it."

The realization of how much danger she was in hit her. Unless her team found her... she was going to die.

She would never get to hold her babies.

She would never get to look into their eyes.

She would never get to see them grow up.

And then she kicked herself for giving into the darkness all those times. She felt a surge of hope swell up inside of her. Penelope had the best team in the country looking for her and it could not be long before they found her.

But by the time the sun had set she had begun to give up hope. It had been hours and no sign of anyone. She had begun to think that they would never find her. Maybe Olivia hid her trail too well. Though Penelope found that hard to believe. Olivia did not seem smart enough to do that good of a job.

But then again, she had murdered at least five women without anyone noticing.

Suddenly a flash of a red light outside caught her eyes. The action was not missed on her captor who had sat herself on the bed across from Penelope.

Turning around she pulled aside the curtain and peeked outside.

"Looks like your friends have shown up for the party."

Olivia reached under the bed and pulled out a gun. She cocked it and pointed it at Penelope's belly.

/

Rossi was the first one in. When he saw Penelope tied to the chair his heart stopped for a moment. And when he saw Olivia with a gun pointed at Penelope's belly... his body filled with rage. "Put the gun down Olivia. There is no place to go."

"Take another step closer and I will shoot her babies. Do you really want that Agent Rossi?"

"No, I do not." He gritted his teeth to help control his anger. "What I do want is for you to put that gun down so we can talk."

Olivia let out an almost inhuman laugh. "Talk? I know exactly what you will do and I have no intention of surrendering myself to the likes of you. I'd rather die.  
God, you men are all the same, wanting us women to do your bidding while you go out and take your pleasures where you please. Well, not anymore!" In a flash she turned around and pointed the gun at Rossi. Her finger flew to the trigger and began to pull.

His gun was faster than hers. The shot echoed in the room as Olivia slumped down on the floor.

It was all too much for Penelope and she started to shake and cry with fear.

Rossi kicked the gun away from her captor's dead hand and instantly was at her side untying the knots that held Penelope to the chair.

Ignoring the smell of her soiled clothes he picked Penelope up and hugged her. "I am so glad we found you Kitten, you had me worried." He lifted her up and took her outside. "There is an ambulance outside, they just want to check you to make sure you and the babies are ok, alright? And then I am going to take you back to the hotel with me, ok?"

When he reached the ambulance he had to pry Penelope off of him and when he let go of her she melted into hysteria. Rossi knew that he should find Hotch and talk to him... but that could wait.

While the MT's where checking her vitals he held her and had stroked her back. Talking softly of all the fun things he was going to do with the kids when they got older. Trying his best to calm her frazzled nerves.

/

Hotch stood on the grass and watched the MT's check Penelope. His face was littered with looks of concern and worry.

"It's not your fault, Hotch. You didn't know."

He turned around and saw J.J. standing there. "No, it was my fault. I am the one that brought her here when I knew damn well that she should have stayed in Quantico."

"You didn't hear, did you?"

Hotch swallowed hard. "Hear what?"


	7. Do you want to stay?

_I wanted to post this tomorrow... but... you remember what I said about my self control... and thanks to your awesome reviews mine has gone out the window tonight._  
_TheMysteriousGeek2345__: thanks :) I actually keep snakes myself and am an enthusiast (but I don't keep anything that can kill me, lol). The properties of venom fascinate me. If you are as geeky as me you might want to look up eptifibatide, a drug used in heart attack victims made from modified rattlesnake venom protein_._  
Anyways, I am guessing that you just want me to shut the hell up and get with it? Alright. Here is the new Chapter. And as before, I do not own Criminal Minds. *sad face*_

Aaron Hotchner walked through the remains of his team's floor. All around were pieces of wood, glass, and charred paper, mixed in with marred pieces of computers and copiers. The entire floor had been shredded.

It was a stroke of luck that no one was here. Or else this could have been much worse.

He walked to Garcia's cave and paused when he saw it. Her entire office was in shatters. The computer screens were broken and busted. Glass from the picture frames were strewn about.  
But, when he saw the chunk of door that had penetrated the back of Penelope's office chair... he felt his heart stop.

Hotch had to lean against the charred wall to keep from falling down. If she had been here...

At least in New Orleans they had a good chance of saving her... here... she probably would have died.

/

At Rossi's, Penelope sat in the nook. Her coffee had gotten cold hours ago but she still left it untouched. She was too busy staring off into space.

"Hey Kitten." David sat down in his chair, breaking Penelope from her trance. "How's it going?" As soon as she looked at him he knew she wasn't ok.

"I keep thinking back to the case in New Orleans and how... how I could have died. And how I could have died anyways even if I stayed here. I think and then I feel terrible."

"And why is that?"

A tear slid down her face. David knew there would be more to follow. "I... I kinda wish I did... you know... died..." She then let the rest of the tears come. "I miss him... David I miss him soo much. Every day I think of Derek. And every day part of me wishes I could die too, just so I could be with him. I try so hard to be happy, because I know that is what Derek would have wanted, but I keep falling. And sometimes I fear that I will never get back up."

Just like many times before. David rose from his chair and went to her, he knelt down and took her in his arms.

She clung onto his jacket as if her life depended on being able to feel him, and sobbed.

David stroked her hair and kept whispering to her it would be alright. That Derek was watching over her and that he would be so proud of everything. Scenes like this had become less and less frequent but when she did break down David saw that Penelope still hadn't healed. He doubted she would ever fully heal.

A few moments later he felt her grip on him lessen and he could hear the tell tail signs of Penelope composing herself.

Leaning back she dried her tears and sniffed. "I'm sorry David..."

He brushed a strand of tear soaked hair from her face. "No need to feel sorry Kitten. What you are feeling... it is natural. You still haven't healed from Derek's death and between the killers that we catch, the pregnancy, and New Orleans... you have a lot on your plate.

David stood her up. "Now, do me a favour and go take a nice hot bath. And when you are done I will brew you up a nice cup of that lemon tea you love. Ok?"

"Ok."

/

While the bath tub was filling up Penelope pulled off her bathrobe and chanced a look in the full length mirror in her room.

She ran her hand over the scar that Battle left her and sighed. As her belly expanded the the marred skin tissue had become more and more prominent. Penelope closed her eyes and recalled that night and how Derek refused to leave her until Battle had been caught. And how he had confessed to loving her.

Sure it had been implied many times over, but that was the first time he actually said it. And... she had been stupid enough to date Kevin. She had been stupid enough to waste years with Kevin, with a man who Penelope knew she could never love.

She could have spent those years with Derek.

Penelope chocked back the tears as she caressed her belly. She felt a foot press up against her right hand and hand pressing on her left.

It was as if her babies could feel her pain and sorrow. Every time she felt that it would be better to give up... they managed to somehow remind her that she needed to go on and survive.

Picking up her rob she walked towards the bathroom and hung it on the door. The tub should be full by now.

She slipped into the scalding water and hissed as she felt it hit her skin. The smell of lavender and rosemary filled the steam that rose around her.

Laying back she closed her eyes and relaxed, and once again made a promise to herself and her babies. Tomorrow morning she would try to stop the roller coaster that had controlled her emotions over the past six months and would going to try to start living.

/

Downstairs David let Aaron inside and walked with him to the living room. "How bad was it?"

Aaron leaned against the wall and massaged his temples. "Bad. The entire BAU has been ripped apart. It looks like the work of more than one bomb.  
The other departments are pulling their bomb specialists into the case to see of they can id the bomber. And Strauss is asking me to give them a profile..."  
He turned two dark eyes towards David. "There is something else..."

"What is it?"

"Penelope's office... totally destroyed. There was... a piece of the door that went through her chair. David... when I found out she was pregnant this need to protect her overcame me... I thought by keeping her with us that she would be safer. And what happens? She goes and gets kidnapped. And while we are looking for her someone blows up our office." He turned around and punched the wall, sending a cloud of plaster into the air..

"No matter what I do someone on my team is constantly getting hurt or killed. Maybe Strauss was right, maybe I shouldn't be the one to lead this team."

"Aaron." He walked his friend to a couch and sat him down. "You don't think that I want to protect her too? She is like a damn daughter to me. Listen, you are one of the best leaders the BAU has ever had, and believe me, I have seen quite a few pass through those shoes.  
Sure we get hurt once in a while, and maybe we lose a few of our friends, after all the odds are against us every time we board that plane. You can try your best to protect the team but you have to come to terms that this job is not the safest. Aaron, keeping a level head will be the best weapon you have."

Aaron turned his eyes to Rossi. David could see the tears running down his face. "But..."

David walked over and pulled Aaron on the couch. "Do you honestly think you can walk away from this job?"

"No..."

"And do you think you could pull Penelope away? Aaron, after she got shot what did she do? She hacked into the computers and help us solve her case.

Hell, when it comes time for her to go on maternity leave she probably will insist on working from home. That girl loves her job as much as you do."

"Maybe you are right. What should I do David? I feel so lost..."

"Aaron..."

The two men looked towards the door. Penelope was standing there in a pair of sweats and one of Derek's shirts.

"Is everything alright? You're crying."

"It's nothing Penelope. Listen... I have been thinking and I would like it if you took your maternity leave early."

A determined look spread across her face. "No."

David smiled. He knew that his Kitten would not back down. This battle would be on Aaron would not be winning.

"Are you sure? You might be safer here..."

"Sir, in all respect I feel the safest when I am with you guys. And I can't walk away from the team. I just can't. And I know you feel guilty about what happened in New Orleans but I knew you guys would find me.

Sure I was terrified out of my wits, but I knew that you guys would rescue me.

Plus, who could you get to replace me? Lynch? I could hack circles around that guy."

She put her hands on her hips and braced her legs. "Admit it, the team needs me and I am not leaving you. Ever." She breathed in deeply and squared her shoulders.  
"I thought about leaving, it is true, but I had some thinking to do. And my place is with you guys. I would not fit in anywhere else and I have no wish to go anywhere else."

"Are you positive that is what you want Penelope? Because you can say the word and I could get you maternity leave or transfer you to a safer unit."

"I am sure Aaron, the only unit I want to be on is the BAU and the only people I want to be with is my family."

Aaron let out a sigh, knowing he had been no match for her. "Then, as long as you want to stay... you can."

/

Later that afternoon Penelope went out. In order to move on she had to do something important. Something she had been meaning to do but had kept finding ways of putting it off.

She pulled Esther into a parking space and took the bouquet of lavender roses from the passenger seat.

Getting out she made her way over to a grave by a red maple sapling and placed the bouquet beside the grave stone.

"Hi Derek. I am sorry I haven't visited in a while... been busy with the team and preparing for the babies. Guess what? We are going to have two." She laid down a blanket and with some effort she sat down beside the tombstone and pulled out an sonogram picture. "See. The doctor says we will have a little girl and boy."

Penelope leaned against the cold stone and closed her eyes. Allowing all the memories of Derek to flow through her head, and allowed her heart to fully open up to the grief. And in turn allowed her to heal. The cold stung her skin, but she did not care. It didn't matter.

"I'm living with David now. He insisted that I stay with him... my apartment had too many memories of you for me to stay there. It was killing me. And all I could have afforded was a place on skid row. He's nice and will be a wonderful grandfather." Pinching a petal she played with it and bit her lip.

"I miss you. Not a day goes by that I do not wish you were still here."

For a while she sat there, her head against the lifeless stone and her eyes closed until she heard footsteps crunching in the snow.

She opened her eyes and looked up to see Kevin standing over her.

"Hi Penny, I was just visiting my Uncle and saw your car here. I hope I am not intruding."

Penelope grabbed the stone and used it to pull herself up. "A little, but I was getting cold anyways."

Kevin shifted his feet, playing with the snow on the ground. "I'm glad they found you... I was worried when Agent Hotchner told me that you were kidnapped."

"How did you know...?" She raised an eyebrow in concern.

"He asked me to help find you. You know, do some hunting and digging. Thankfully he allowed me to do it in my office..."

An awkward silence filled the air. She had not parted on the best of terms with Kevin... "Thanks."

"You're welcome Penny. Even though you kinda did break my heart..." The malice in the last words were clear.

"Kevin..." She moved towards him but the look her gave her stopped Penelope in her tracks.

"Everyone warned me... that you were unattainable, and it is my fault for taking a chance and not listening to them."

"Kevin... I should really go. Rossi is expecting me back at his place soon." She bent down and grabbed her blanket, dusting off the snow before folding it over her arm.

"Penny..." He grabbed her hand. "do we have a chance to at least be friends?"

Penelope thought for a moment. She did miss having a fellow techie to talk to and Kevin was not that bad of a guy. After all, he did help save her life. But she knew that she would never stop resenting him for wasting her time, time she could have spent with Derek. Even though the fault laid with her and not with Kevin.

"I'm sorry, but no."

And with that she took her hand from his and walked away.


	8. Welcome Home

_Alright folks. First of all thanks iluvtorun, in real life I am horrible with names and I guess it isn't any different in fanfiction, lol. I think I fixed it... And don't worry, Kevin will NOT be coming back, at least not as a love interest for Penelope... or anyone._

_Now onto business.  
Someone from the BAU's past comes back to join the team. Who could it be? Gideon, Greenaway, or Prentiss? Read on and see what is in store. And if you like Hotch so far, you will love him in this chapter._

_And the legal bit: I don not own anything relating to Criminal Minds apart from this story._

It had been a couple weeks since the bombing of the BAU and the team had settled into their temporary home with the Quantico Crimes Against Children unit. The department head, Kimberly McBride, had been more than generous and had her team shuffle around to make room for everyone.

Last week the bomber had been caught by the make shift bomb unit. It had been a disgruntled applicant who had been turned down for a position within the FBI. He figured if he couldn't get in, why should anyone else? But he bombed the wrong floor. He wanted the Human Resources floor which was right under the BAU.

Aaron's feelings had been mixed with elation that the bastard had been caught and intense anger at the bomber's stupidity. How could he have chosen the wrong floor? If he had killed one of his team members because of that stupid mistake...

He tried his best not to dwell on it, he had work to do, lives to save, a son that he needed to raise into a good man, and a team to protect.

Aaron passed by Strauss' makeshift office and peered inside, stopping when he saw her at her desk with a mountain of paperwork by her side.

In the past the team and her were not on the best of terms but since her return it had seemed Strauss had softened to the teams ways. Slowly the mistrust between Hotch and her had begun to melt away.

He poked his head in. "Good morning, Erin."

Putting down her pen she looked up at him. "Good morning Aaron. I see you're also an early riser. Please come in."

"Thank you. I just came in to get an early start to the day, it looks as if you are doing the same thing?" He took the seat across from her desk.

"Yes." Strauss took of her glasses. "It is actually a good thing you stopped by. I have a sensitive matter to discuss with you and it would be better if your team is not present."

Hotch raised an eyebrow. "And what would this matter be, Erin?"

She took out a folder from the pile beside her and opened it. "It is in regards to Agent Morgan's replacement. Now, I know it is not something that both of us really want to address but we have to."

"We are doing just fine with the team members we have."

"I know Aaron. But you can not deny that the workload has become harder. I think it would be best if we brought on another team member."

"I don't think introducing someone new at the moment would be the best idea. We are having to deal with a lot of issues right now and bringing another person into the mix might throw my team off."

"What if I were to tell you, Aaron, that it would not be a new member but someone who your team is already familiar with? Would that change your mind?" Erin asked.

"Who are you talking about? Gideon?"

She sighed and handed him a slip of paper. "No, not Gideon. Agent Prentiss has recently contacted me and has expressed interest in returning. I know when she left that her... situation had been delicate but with recent events I feel that it is safe for her to return."

"I thought she had been enjoying working for Interpol?" Hotch asked, trying to make sense of this recent development.

"No. As it turns out Interpol did not give her the job that she expected. And she wants to take up her post here again. Now, it is your choice but keep in mind that you do need another team member or else your team will eventually burn themselves out. But, I will keep the choice up to you because I respect your opinion."

Hotch's mind raced. "My main issue that she has left this team twice, once by force and another by choice. I know last time time she had a good personal reason but it did not mean that it hurt any less." He put the paper down and stared at Strauss. "If she came back I would have to know that she would be intending to stay for a reasonable amount of time. Because, as you know, we are still recovering from the loss of Agent Morgan."

Strauss smiled and pull out another paper. "I am aware, which is why when she asked I had her sign a waver," She handed another piece of paper over to Hotch to look at. "stating that she would work for the BAU for at least five years. If she were to quit without a reasonable cause then she will be blacklisted and her career ruined."

He read over it, and it seemed to be legally binding and correct. "And she signed this willingly? I need her to be here by choice, not force."

"She knew that the team would need proof of her commitment after everything, so she came up with the idea of a waver." She leaned forward. "I assure you that she is more than willing to come back and to stay."

The corner of Hotch's mouth turned upwards. "In that case I would love her back. But before I tell my team I need to talk Detective Garcia. As you said this is a sensitive matter and I will need to make sure this is the best course of action."

"Of course." Strauss slipped her glasses back on and picked up her pen. "Now, if you excuse me I need to get some of my paperwork done."

/

At around nine Hotch called Penelope into his office. Since she was the most emotionally unstable person on the team Hotch thought it best that he tell her first in order to gauge her reaction.

"Garcia, please take a seat."

Penelope cautiously slipped into the chair facing Hotch. She may not have been a profiler but she had spent enough time with Hotch to know when he was about to say something serious.

"I had a talk with Strauss this morning about a matter that concerns the team, and you.  
She is pushing for me to hire an agent to replace Agent Morgan." Penelope opened her mouth but Hotch raised his hand to silence her. "Let me finish. I know it may seem too soon but it has been over six months and I agree with Strauss when she says that we need another person.  
Now, I can hire someone completely new but with our delicate situation I feel as if introducing a new member is not the best idea. Instead I am am hiring Agent Prentiss."

"Em? She's coming back?"

"Yes, Agent Prentiss has expressed interest the job and right now she is my choice. Given your relationship with Agent Morgan I wanted to ensure that you were alright with Agent Prentiss filling his position. How would you feel if Emily came back?"

"Is she going to be safe?"

Hotch nodded. "Yes, recent developments have guaranteed her safety here. She is no longer perceived as a threat. Now, again, how do you feel about her returning?"

"Iffy." She grunted. "She left us twice before and I know the first time it was not her choice but it didn't stop it from hurting. And the last time she came back, she up and left after a year. And again, I know that there was a good reason and that it was best for her but... A year, Hotch. How long will she stay if she comes back now? Six months, two years?"

"Five. At least. When Strauss saw her name on the list of applicants she had Emily sign a waver stating that she would stay for a five year term. If not longer. She misses the team, and she misses you."

"Really?" Her tone betrayed her sense of disbelief.

"Really. And can you honestly say that you would not like her back? I know you, J.J., and her, were all very close."

Penelope sighed in defeat. "No I can't." She looked down at her lap and picked at her chipped hot pink nail polish. "So she would really stay?"

Hotch nodded as the small smile appeared on his face. "Yes."

She bit her lip. Partially to hide her excitement and partially to hide her fears. Inhaling deeply she took the plunge. "Then I look forward to seeing her. But make sure she knows that she has a lot, and I mean a lot, to make up for."

/

An hour later Hotch had his team gather in the war room. He had talked to Strauss and called Emily, it had been made official. This evening she would board a red eye to Quantico and tomorrow she would start.

"I have an important announcement that will affect the team. And I hope this will be a positive action. As many of you know our work load has been heavier as of late. Normally we would have had another agent, but with what happened with Agent Morgan," He watched as the sorrow flashed over the faces in front of him. "Strauss and I wanted to wait until things became more... stable, before introducing a new team member. And it has come to my attention that it is time. I have discussed this with Strauss and she presented me with a candidate that I think will be a good fit."  
He couldn't help but smile.  
"I would like you all to welcome back Agent Prentiss. She will be joining us tomorrow."

In that moment you could hear a pin drop in the war room.

Reid broke the stillness first. "She's... she is coming back?"

"Yes."

"For how long this time?" Rossi asked.

"For a long time. She won't be leaving any time soon."

He looked over and noticed a concerned look on Blake's face. "Don't worry Blake, she is not taking your place."

She leaned back and sighed in relief. "Good."

"This is bullshit!"

Hotch glared at the owner of the voice. "Reid, that is enough!"

Reid pushed his papers to the center of the table. "No, it is not. How can she do this, again?! Every time she ups and leaves she expects us to greet her with open arms. Well, not this time. I'm not doing it again!" He got up and began to leave.

"Agent Reid, sit down NOW!"

He took a moment to debate on whether he should do as his boss asked, or if he should storm off. In the end Reid sat himself back down.

Hotch leaned against the table and stared at the young agent. "Now Reid, I understand that you feel hurt and betrayed but I assure you that Agent Prentiss had a damn good reason for getting out of the country last year."

Reid leaned back and crossed his arms. "Yeah, what was that? Another gun toting lover of hers came back?"

The older agent took in a deep breath and calmed himself before speaking. "No. She was sexually assaulted by an older agent who happened to hold a very high and prestigious position in the FBI. It resulted in a pregnancy. He wanted her to abort but Prentiss did not want to do it. So instead of living up to his mistakes the agent in question threatened to ruin Prentiss' career unless she got as far away as possible.  
That, is why she left Agent Reid. And when she joins us tomorrow I expect you to treat her with the utmost respect, understand?"

Sulking in his seat. "Yes Sir."

"Good. Now that this is over," Hotch pulled out his tablet "it is time to get started on this case. Do you want to start us off Garcia?"

"Sure. We have a sicko operating out of Wapello County in Iowa." She flashed the pictures up in sequence. "The police there have found three female bodies, all with the same M.O. Trisha Lyles, Bethany Knowles, and Jennifer Gracie. They were all 12... just babies." She chocked back her emotions. "All with their throats slit and their reproductive organs taken out. Coroner's reports state that these women had bled out."

Reid looked at the papers in front of him, trying to clear his mind enough to think. "It also says there were ligature marks on their ankles, as if they had been hung upside down."

J.J. looked up. "Probably so they would bleed out faster. It's what butchers often do to live stock."

"Hmmm.." Blake sifted through her tablet. "There are also other signs of torture... burn marks.. shallow knife wounds... whoever did this took their time to exact as much pain as possible before killing them."

"But the method of killing is quick, we could be looking at a pair of UnSubs. One who likes to torture and one that just takes pleasure in a kill." Hotch said, before shutting off his tablet. "We can talk more on the plane, right now we need to get to Wapello before another girl is taken. Wheels up in 30."

/

On the plane J.J., Penelope, Blake, and Reid huddled together in the back. They had been talking about the case but the conversation drifted towards Prentiss.

"So, what is this Emily Prentiss like?" Blake asked.

"She's nice, and I mean that in the modern context. Brave, rash, and warm." Penelope said.

J.J. put her head against the window. "When you went into a situation with her, you knew your back would be covered."

"Until she got a better offer." Reid grumbled. "You all seem to forget that she left with the first chance she had." He crossed his arms and buried himself deeper in the seat.

Penelope stretched in her seat, arching her back to help stop the ache. "She had no choice Reid. And Hotch said she would be sticking around for a while."

"I'll believe it when she actually does stay." He looked out the window and tried to retreat into his private world.

"Reid, you can't judge someone like that." Blake said, drawing him out.

He turned to her and glared. "Easy for you to say, you were not the one that she walked away from... twice."

"I know Reid," Blake tried to hide her hurt reaction, it was not her fault that she wasn't around to experience the same feelings. "but would you rather have a stranger take Derek's place?"

"No."

Penelope reached over and rubbed his shoulder. "Reid, I'm the one that is supposed to be afraid of change. Do me a favour and just try to be happy that we got Em back."

/

The next morning found the team hard at work; they had to move fast now. The UnSub or UnSubs had taken another girl: Rachael Mosley. Reid and Hotch were interviewing her family. Rossi and Blake had gone to check out the new dump site, and J.J. was talking to the local police chief.

And as usual Penelope sat in an office. She had been shocked by the set up that this small precinct had. They had a system more advanced than most big city departments.  
Apparently at one point they had a techie in their force. A good one too.

She sifted through the files looking for sex offenders that matched the profile created last night at the hotel. But nothing came up. The usual sex offenders but no one with the record that would point to someone messed up enough to kill girls.

/

Reid stood over the body in the morgue. They had just finished talking with the family and now were inspecting the bodies.

As the coroner pulled back the sheet he looked closely at Jennifer. So far they had no leads on why someone had been doing this.

He looked and his eyes bugged out. "Hotch." He ran a gloved hand over one of the burn marks on the abdomen.

"What is it Reid?"

"This mark... it looks like a branding... an Aztec goddess named Tonacatecuhtli" Taking a magnifying glass he looked closer. "Yes, I'm sure... It was too blurry in the pictures that were sent to us but... now up close, I'm positive."

Hotch stepped closer and joined Reid in looking. "What was Tonacacuhtli's purpose?"

Reid gulped, as a horrible idea made its way to his brain. "Fertility."

/

Finally, after waiting for what seemed forever her phone rang. Taking her blue chicken pen she hit the answer button.

"The all knowing human pod, how may I direct your call?"

"_Hi Garcia, it's Reid. Could you do my a favour and look up Aztec fertility rituals involving consuming human sex organs?"_

"Human sex organs you saw? Major ewww. Give me a minute." Quickly she typed and dug. "I have it! Though it is not what you would think. Thanks to the Spanish there is not a lot of information on Aztec rituals but I found an expert on the subject who just wrote a paper on fertility rituals of South and Central American civilizations. Now, the ritual that she wrote about uses the ovaries and uteri of jaguars. But nothing says that someone couldn't twist it around to justify using human bits."

"_Can you send me the paper? And while your at it could you also look at women in the county who recently miscarried or are using fertility treatments?"_

"Sure Sexy Doctor. Over and out."

In an hour she had a list of five names sent out to the team along with their addresses and personal history. Sitting back she hoped this would be enough for them. If that girl didn't come back... there would be a mother grieving and Penelope never wanted that.

Penelope perked up when she heard footsteps coming behind her. Ever since New Orleans she had been uber careful about strangers.

Turning around she had to stifle a cry at the sight of Emily and her go bag. Penelope lugged her body out of the chair and slowly walked to Prentiss.

"You're really back?"

Prentiss had never been one to show emotion but seeing Penelope, and realizing the changes that had happened, cause her emotions to bubble up.  
If she talked, she would break. So all Prentiss could do was nod.

"For good?"

"Yes," Prentiss chocked. "for good."

Penelope threw her arms around her friend and drew as close as her belly would allow. "It is soo good to have you back. Everyone is happy to have you back. Well, aside from Reid but give him time."

Pulling back Prentiss looked her friend over and smiled. "You, you look as big as a house!"

"I know, I feel like one too. Want to feel?"

Prentiss reached out and put a gentle hand on Penelope's belly, she grinned as she felt a kick. "Active little one, isn't it?"

A smile spread across Penelope's face. She bit her lip. "Actually, they are active little ones. I'm having twins!"

"Are you serous?! Congrats!" Once again the two girls enveloped themselves in a hug and stayed there for a while. Both enjoying being close once again.

Eventually they let go. "So, I guess you should join the guys in the field."

"Yeah, I should." Prentiss began to compose herself. "Where are Hotch and Reid?"

"They're actually on their way back here. Should be back at any moment. If you want I can fill you in on the case."

/

That evening she and Emily sat on Penelope's bed in the hotel. In front of them they had a few pictures strewn about.

Penelope picked up a black and white one. "See, there is the boy, and over here is the girl. Don't they look adorable?"

Emily took the picture from her and looked. "Yeah they do." Handing it back she took a picture of a baby girl with black hair off the bed. "And here is Andrea's latest picture. I had it done right before I got the call to come back."

"OMG Em, she is beginning to look a lot like you." Penelope analyzed the photo and smiled at Emily's daughter.

"I know, thankfully that bastard didn't leave much of his genetics in her."

Penelope sighed. She, Derek, and Hotch had been the only ones privy to the real reason why Emily had left. A couple weeks before their last case together she had been drugged and sexually assaulted by Deputy Director Wilfred Burns.  
The father refused to acknowledge the child and had threatened to blacklist Em if she didn't quit and went far away.

Aaron, Strauss, and her mother, had pulled every string they could and got her the job in Interpol.  
All the time she spent in Europe, Emily had always wanted to come home but with Burns still in the FBI there would be no chance.

When Derek died... all she wanted was to hide in the arms of her family but she couldn't. All she could do was to hold onto her daughter and cry. She hated Burns even more for robbing her of the comfort that her family could have given her.

But now, the Burns had been killed in the take down of the BAU bomber. And with his death and the opening at the BAU, Emily had the chance to come back and was not about to let it slip away.

"What is she like?" Penelope asked.

"She is a very happy little girl. Loves to play, is very talkative though she can't form words yet, and really likes to wake me up in the middle of the night. I can't wait for you guys to meet her."

Penelope stretched out her arms and yawned.

"Maybe you should go to bed P.G. It's late and we have a flight to catch tomorrow morning."

"I'm not that tired... and I want to spend as much time with you as I can..."

Emily began to sort the pictures and took her own. "Don't worry P.G., I'm staying. We will have time on the plane to talk and catch up. Now though, it is time for you to go to sleep. Unless you want to have Spencer's eyes.

Penelope caved. She didn't have enough energy to argue anymore...

/

"_Derek!" She ran though the woods, her shoes long abandoned, she ran barefoot through the forest duff._

_Her lungs screamed for air but she had to keep going. She had to get to him. She had to save him._

_Before her, only a few yards away, he stood in a baron field. Caked dirt and sharp rocks laid between her and Derek._

_Her toes touched the scorched earth, the searing pain made her yelp but she had to keep going. She was almost there. He needed her. He needed her to save him._

"_Derek! I'm coming! Just hold on!"_

_Almost... she could almost touch him._

_As she reached out her hand passed right through him and he vanished._

_Her feet still, she looked around frantically for him. He was just there. He could not have gone far. "Derek? Derek!"_

_The only answer to her cries was the buzzing of bees. No. It didn't sound right._

_Then she smelt it. Rotting flesh._

_Looking down she saw him... or what was once him. His corpse, covered in flies, rotting away into the earth. His cold dead eyes looking up at her. Accusing her. Asking 'Why didn't you save me?'_

_Collapsing to her knees she screamed, her fists pounded the ground in frustration, in anger, in grief. She failed him. She couldn't save the one person she loved. She had failed..._

"_Penelope... wake up... Pen... wake up!"_

Opening her eyes she saw a frightened Emily.

Shaking, Penelope put her arms up and grabbed Emily, hugging her friend tight and sobbing. "I couldn't... save... him... Em, I was so close but... I couldn't... save him... I saw his eyes... I saw him..."

Emily pulled her in tight and held onto her. "Shh... it is going to be alright sweetheart. It was just a dream." Seeing her friend in this condition made Emily realize how broken Penelope had become. Aaron had told her... but he had left a good portion of the details out.

It made her feel guilty for not being there for Penelope, for not regularly communicating with her, for not giving her friend the comfort she needed.

"I'm so sorry, PG..."

Penelope pulled back. "Sorry for what?" She sniffed. "I'm the one that woke you up... and probably the entire team as well..."

"Sorry for not being here for you... sorry for not being here for the team. We are a family and I should have never left you guys to deal with this without me..." She brushed a stray strand of black hair from her own face.

"Oh Em. You only did what you had to do. You had no choice" The tears still streamed freely down Penelope's face but her blabbering and shaking had mostly subsided. "And all that matters now is that you are back."


	9. Esther

_First of all a little word of advice. Never ask a car guy for a small piece of advice when writing fanfic. You will end up with a speech on every little detail of the car you want to write about.  
Next, I want to really thank everyone for their reviews. I am really, really, shy when it comes to letting people read what I write (which makes me wonder how I passed all those creative writing courses...) so your words really mean a lot. As for the dream, it will make a reappearance in later chapters.  
And finally: I do not own Criminal Minds, EB Games, or any other company or product in this story. If I did own Natsume I would bring the original Maria back._

_Enjoy :)_

Penelope had almost crossed the threshold of her 8th month and she was sure Aaron would be forcing her to take maternity leave soon.  
Time had begun to do weird things. It began to speed up when she let her fears of giving birth and motherhood get to her, and it also slowed down when she became anxious to hold her babies for the first time.

Her mind had filled itself with endless questions about how she would do it... she knew how a woman gave birth thanks to the sex ed classes she had taken in high school, the birthing books J.J. made her read, and the prenatal classes.  
But looking down she couldn't imagine how she would give birth and not splitting open in the process.

Grabbing her bag she made her way down the stairs. Spencer would arrive soon to take her to the prenatal classes she had been taking with him.

At first she had thought that it would be best to take J.J. with her but once she had time to actually think... it became more logical for Spencer to come. He would be there with her in the delivery room and with his memory he would remember everything said in the classes.

Stopping in the kitchen she grabbed a granola bar and stuffed it in her mouth.

"Prenatal classes?" David asked as he put down his book.

Penelope swallowed. "Yeah. The nurse is going to go over techniques to help reduce pain. Which I think will be monumentally useful."

He smirked as he took a sip of his coffee. "You're making me thankful that I will never have to give birth, ever."

"Yeah, tell me about it." She was about to reach for another bar when she heard Spencer's old Volvo pull up. "Gotta go David." She bent over and kissed his cheek. "I'll be home by 13:30 and then I'll be going out with the girls for a bit, but I'll be back for dinner."

/

"Alright class. As you all know today we will be going over techniques to reduce pain during labour. Now, some of you will be lucky and will experience minimal amounts of pain. But most of you will find childbirth to be less than comfortable.  
Fathers, I would like you to position yourselves behind your partner and allow her to lean against you. Mothers, lean into your partner and rest your weight on his body."

Penelope awkwardly placed herself between Spencer's legs and grabbed onto his calves for support. "Ah, the blue and pink socks for today. Nice choice."

"Thanks. It still feels strange to be here. All of the rest of the people here are actually couples..."

She squeezed his calf. "It's ok. If anything this will make you more desirable when you do meet Mrs. Right."

"Ok, looking good so far. We are going to try some breathing exercises that will alleviate some of your discomfort. Ladies, I want you to take deep shallow breaths. Concentrate on your breathing and ensure you breathe at regular intervals.  
When you have a contraction breath like this. It will give you control over your situation and will give something for your mind to concentrate on."

The nurse knelt down beside Penelope and Spencer. "Ms. Garcia, space out your breathing a little bit or you'll pass out. Ok, that's better. Are you getting this Mr. Reid? Good."

Standing up she walked to the front of the class. "Everyone is doing so well. Now we are going to be moving on. Next we are going to try to change positions. Just because all you see on tv is women laying down does not mean you have to.  
For example you can sit on an exercise ball during the first stages of labour. Some mothers find that this helped manage the pain.  
Fathers, go over to the corner and grab a ball for your partner.

Penelope looked questionably at the blue ball in front of her. She did not have good experiences with those... things. But, she would be willing to give this a try.  
Sighing she positioned herself on it and tried not to fall off. "I look like an idiot."

"No you don't." Spencer used his hands to help her stay in place. "You look just like all the other women in here."

"Now this is not the only thing you can do ladies. You can get up and walk around, you can take a bath if you are doing a home delivery. And men, you can help by giving a nice massage while the both of you wait for her to become fully dilated. It helps to have her back, feet, or even arms, massaged."

"True, the endorphins released by having a body part massaged would counter act with the pain of the contractions."

"Very true Mr. Reid. And along with these natural methods are drugs.  
Some women swear by the epidural, others refuse it. Either way whatever you want is your choice and as long as it will not hurt your baby no one can refuse you."

Penelope slid off the ball and positioned herself on the soft mat, leaning into Spencer.

"Now, when you get an epidural a needle is inserted into your lower back, right outside your spinal cord. It will block a good portion of the pain and should not slow labour down too much. The downside is that it may work only on one side of your body and it may slow down your baby's heart rate. Though if you start labour with a strong fetal heartbeat it shouldn't be an issue.  
Again, this is your choice.  
And there is also narcotics which would be given intravenously, which are more accurately opioids, that will lessen the amount of pain you actually feel but will not take the pain away. Personally, I would advise against using opioids due to the fact that they slow down breathing for the baby.  
You might also be offered tranquilizers which will help relax you though it will not eliminate pain, and it might decrease your memory of the labour. If you do choose this for pain management maybe have your partner bring in a recording device because trust me, when your child is 16 and giving you trouble you will need to remember how much work you did bringing him or her into this world."

The instructor went to her desk and picked up a stack of papers. "That concludes our class, I am going to be giving each couple a list of pain management techniques to take home and examine. When I see you next week I want you to formulate a birthing plan, we will share it with each other and see if we can get some new ideas to help each other out."

Spencer hauled himself up from the floor, struggling, he helped Penelope up. He gathered her stuff and headed out with her, grabbing a sheet on the way.

/

They drove in silence until Spencer cleared his throat. "I know this is not logical but... these birthing classes make me feel a bit... sick to my stomach."

"How so?" Penelope asked as she put a hand on her belly to still her babies.

"Hearing the nurse say stuff like cervix, vagina, and such... and having you there... for the lack of a better word... it is gross. You're like a sister to me. And I don't want to think of your... your..."

"Spencer Reid, your not going to back out of these classes are you? I can't have you in the delivery room with me without knowing what the hell is going on."

He turned onto David's street. "I'm not backing out, just saying that it feels odd... Don't worry, I am still honoured that you are letting me be a part of the delivery and I will be there no matter what."

"Good. Because Fran will be there too but I don't know her as well... I'm not as close to her as I am with you. And like I said, Derek would want you there in with me."

He pulled into David's drive way and put his car in park. "Do you need me to help you bring anything in?"

Penelope slid out of the car and grabbed her bag. "No, I'm fine. But thanks!"

"No problem, see you on Monday."

/

She opened the door and rushed in. In about 30 minutes J.J., Em, and Alex would be coming over. They had insisted that they had to fit in at least one more girl's day before the babies arrived.

Looking in her closet she debated about changing out of her yoga pants into something else. Sure, these were more comfortable than the nicer clothes. But it was a girl's day. She should look somewhat presentable.  
Pulling out a blue dress and a yellow jacket she sighed. Her baby blue heals would have gone so nicely with that outfit.

Stripping down to her underwear she began to pull the dress down over her head. Halfway down she realized that she had gotten herself stuck. Her belly had gotten too large for her to pull the dress over it, and her oversized breasts prevented her from pulling the dress off.

Shuffling to the door she opened it a crack. "David? What time is it?"

"14:55!" Came the reply from David's downstairs study.

"When one of the girls gets here, can you send them over to my room... I kinda need some help."

"Alright. But if you want I can help."

"No!" She panicked. "I mean thanks but I need one of the girls for this."  
Penelope closed the door and shuffled over to where she thought the bed was, and by feeling her way around with her feet she found the edge and sat down. She waited for what seemed like an eternity before she heard her door opening.

"PG?"

"Oh Em! I am so thankful to see you... I... I got stuck..." Came the reply from the blue dress/human hybrid sitting on the bed.

Emily put a hand over her mouth and stifled a laugh. "I can see that. Here, stand up and I'll help get you out of this." Gently tugging the dress Emily managed to pull it off after a few minutes. "When was the last time you wore it?"

Penelope picked up her sweat pants and over sized shit. "Three weeks ago... guess I kinda grew a little bit..."

"I'd say. When I was pregnant with Andrea I tried to fit into a shirt after a couple months and ended up getting myself stuck... but there was no one to help me so I ended up cutting it off."

"Oh Em, that's awful!"

"Nah, not really." Emily waved a dismissive hand. "I didn't like the shirt anyways. So are you ready for an afternoon of shopping, food, and girl time?"

"Yeah, though I wanted to look at least a little nicer for today."

Emily laughed. "Oh PG, looking nice and being over several months pregnant is almost impossible. Besides, in less than two months you will be wearing spit up and puke, so get used to looking a little disheveled."

Penelope playfully hit her friend. "You can be so encouraging sometimes!"

"Oh, I try to be." Emily threw her a cheeky grin.

"Hey, did we miss something?"

Both the women looked over to see J.J. and Alex standing in the doorway.

"Apparently I am too pregnant to fit into my nice clothes." Penelope pouted.

Emily tilted her head a bit and smiled. "What she is trying to say is that she got stuck."

"Ah, luckily I never had that problem with Henry. But I have heard of it happening..." J.J. ducked as a sock flew by her.

"Yeah, you were tiny, lucky woman. I feel like a bus!"

Alex crossed her arms. "You know girls, after spending months hearing these stories I am almost thankful I did not produce offspring."

"So," Emily clapped her hands together. "are we just going to sit around all day and talk or are we going to shop AND talk?"

Penelope grabbed her purple purse off the bed and her cell phones. "I vote for shopping."

/

On the way to the mall they began passing by the car dealerships. Looking out the window Penelope eyed the minivans, she would have to get one soon...  
Before they passed one dealership a particular van caught her attention.

"J.J., can we stop in that dealership for a moment, I want to take a look."

"Well, I guess since you are the Tech Goddess and we are driving your awesome convertible, I guess I could."

/

Getting out she walked towards the dark green van. She knew that she would have to get rid of her Esther soon. As much as she loved that car... it would be very impractical once the babies came.  
"It is perfect... quick, anybody know anything about this thing?"

Alex walked around the van, taking a good look at it. "It's a 2004 Mitsubishi Delica Spacegear, a Japanese domestic import. This one looks like it is right hand drive... They are usually very reliable vehicles."  
She looked over and saw the girls giving her a hard stare.  
"What? My husband is a car guy. I couldn't help but retain some of the information he imbedded into my mind."

"The woman's right. This van is top of the line. Only 30,000 miles on her. Hi, I'm Walter Pots." The young brown haired man shook the hands of the women one by one, Penelope last. "Ah, I am guessing you are the one that is interested in this fine vehicle."

"Yeah, I just wanted to take a look at it. It looks... unique."

"You are right. There are no other car companies that import to North America that have the same design. So, any questions?"

"Sure. Who sold you this vehicle?"

"An older woman whose children had gone off to college." Walter leaned against the van. "She had no need for the space so she turned it in to help her buy a sporty little Miata."

"Would it be possible to come inside and see the service records?" Penelope asked. She had been on her own since she was 18, and knew her way around a car salesperson. If he was going to try to cheat her... he had another thing coming.

"Sure, step this way ladies."

/

Penelope looked over the reports. Everything seemed in line. There had been a minor crash back in 2009 but nothing vital had been damaged. Still, she could use it to knock the price down a bit.

"As you see the car has been certified by the manufacture and a full report has been done. And our mechanic has given it a full inspection. Everything checks out."

Looking over once more she put the paperwork down. "True, but I would just like to take it for a test drive and see how she runs. And if possible, I would want my friend's husband to check it out himself." For the hundredth time she thanked whatever higher power there was that J.J. had married Will. The guy was a wiz at cars.

"Sure, just let me get the keys and we will take her for a spin."

/

Will put the hood down and wiped his hands on a rag that J.J. had left for him. "It looks fine Penelope. Doesn't have much in the way of mechanical problems."

"Is there anything I can use to talk him down on the price?"

"The timing belt. It looks alright now but in the next couple of years it will need replacing. Other than that she purrs like a kitten. If I were you I would seriously consider buying this. It is a solid vehicle."

"Thanks Will, we'll get out of your hair now." She walked out and over to the dealer and her friends. "Alright Mr. Pots, lets go back to the office and work out a price."

/

"Ok Ms. Garcia, the price we are asking for is $15,000. And considering the shape this car is in, that is a good deal."

Pausing she pretended to go over the paperwork in front of her again. She wanted the van, she really wanted this van, it was unique like her.  
But the last thing she needed to do was _look_ like she wanted it.  
"True, but it was in a crash that tore up the hood of the van."

"Correct, but it did no damage to the frame and no long term damage to the vehicle." He folded his hands and stared at her, trying to read Penelope's face.

"Still... it makes me a little weary of the van. And the timing belt will need replacing in a couple of years which will be a big hassle..."

"How about I knock $1000 off the price for ya?"

"Sounds good, but what if I traded in my old car? It's a classic."

Walter lifted an eyebrow. Usually by classic his customers meant a hunk of junk that was barely worth the metal that encased the vehicle. "What kind of 'classic' car are we talking about?"

"A 1984 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, red with white trim. She's the one we drove in with, as you can seen she is a beauty and I have all her paperwork." She slipped out her tablet and selected the file. Handing it to Walter she smiled. It paid off putting all her paperwork into her tablet.

"Hmm... We don't buy cars older than 2000, but I am personally looking for a car like this for my father. If I can have my mechanic here check it out I can make you an offer."

"Sure. But would it be alright if we took the van out while you do that? We kinda had a girl's day planned and I threw a wrench into it."

"Of course Ms. Garcia. I just need you to sign some a few more forms and you can give her a real test drive."

/

The girls walked through the main entrance of Potomac mall and breathed in.

"Girls, we're home." Penelope said before grabbing her friends and heading towards the game shop. Inside she clutched the newest release from EA Games. "Oooh! J.J., I have heard so many good things about Sims 5! It allows you to customize EVERYTHING!"

J.J. looked around the store for a game that would be suitable for Henry. "Couldn't you do that in the Sims 3 and 4?"

"Yes, but this one has a new game interface that allows you to create your own cars, your own clothes, and your own skin colours and designs without having to download a crappy substandard app from the internet. AND you have 100% control over your sim while they are at work. I can play god!" Penelope was almost drooling over the game.

"Trust me PG, between our job and your kids you won't have time to eat a decent meal, let alone dedicate enough time to that game to make it worth while."

"Ahhh Em, why do you always have to burst my bubble!" Pouting she put the game back. Maybe in ten years or so she would have time to play it. "Hey J.J., doesn't Henry love this series?" Penelope held up a copy of Harvest Moon: Back to the Country.

"Yeah he does, and this one he doesn't have yet..." J.J. took the game and examined the box. "It even has multi-player options. He can play with Jack on his pay dates. Thanks Penelope, this was a good find."

"It is fascinating how he loves a game series based on chores but in reality you complain about his lack of willingness to do real chores." Alex grinned.

J.J. rolled her eyes as she came up to the cashier. "I know. I wish I knew whatever trick Nintendo and Natsume have been using all these year."

"Hey, next can we go to that new clothing store? I hear they got in a shipment of leather jackets." Emily put in her request.

"Sure, as long as we stop by the book store after. I need some new reading material."

"Of course Alex. And then the new maternity clothing store, I need some clothes that will actually fit me..."

/

By the time Walter had called Penelope, the girls had their arms loaded with shopping bags. They had managed to hit up the store with the leather jackets, the book store, a couple clothing stores, and the candy shop; with multiple rest and pee breaks for Penelope.  
The last stop had been at the ice cream parlour. Sure, it was late March but they had a craving.

As they walked to the Van Penelope took a bite out of her cone. "Did you know people in the Scandinavian countries regularly eat ice cream in winter? They think it helps warm the blood, or something like that."

J.J. put down her bags as she used Penelope's keys to open the trunk. "And where did you hear that?"

She licked a stray strand of ice cream off her lips. "Spencer."

Emily chuckled as she loaded her bags in. "Figures. You two have been spending a lot of time together. Anything going on between you two?"

"Nope. He's just helping me out. And I think he is testing the waters to see if he can handle the idea of little Spencers running around."

"For that he would have to find a girl to copulate with." Alex said as she took a seat in the back.

J.J. opened her door and got in the front passenger seat. "I can't understand why the girls don't go for our Spence, he is such a cute guy."

"Well, you went on a date with him, didn't you?" Emily took her seat beside Blake.

"Yeah," J.J. pulled the buckle over and slid it in. "but it was weird. He's more of a little brother to me. Do you guys understand where I am coming from?"

"Yeah, totally. But if we found him a lady that didn't work for the FBI maybe we could start a little romance for him?" Taking her napkin Penelope took off the final bits of ice cream and cone that stuck to her lips before she started up the van.

"Do you think he is over Maeve?" Alex asked. "He took her death very hard."

"Maybe, there is only one way to find out. We will find our Spencer a girl. Now ladies, let's go and sign the final papers so this momma can get her van. Speaking of which, I already love it."

/

Penelope signed the last bits of paperwork. She had managed to get the price down to $13,000 and the dealer would pay her $6,000 for her cadi, and, he had thrown in a three year warranty when Penelope offered to pay the majority of the money in cash, minus what Pots was paying her for her car.

Soon she and the girls had Esther cleaned out and ready to hand over to Pots. Leaning over as far as she dared Penelope slid the fuzzy dice off the rear view mirror. She sighed and started walking away to hand the keys over, but stopped and put a hand on the hood of her old car. "I'm sorry girl, but this is the way it has to be. You're going to a good home though, with someone who will spend endless hours on that sexy engine of yours..."

She felt a hand placed on her shoulder.

"I know this is hard P.G. But it is the right step."

Penelope leaned into the hand. "I know."


	10. The Shower

_Self control? Who needs it, lol. Thanks for the awesome reviews! Now onto the tenth chapter.__ I hope you enjoy the latest installment. Gah, it is soo hard writing these intros without giving anything away!  
__As usual, I do not own CM._

Waking up Penelope could hear the morning course starting outside her window. She let out a long yawn as she took off her mask and slipped on her slippers.

Shuffling she went to the washroom and started to get ready. Today Fran, Desirée, and Sarah were flying in to visit and to take part in Penelope's baby shower, and Penelope wanted everything to be ready.

Over the past eight months she had been regularly communicating with Derek's family and had become close to them. It had been nice... but painful, every time she saw them. They served as a constant reminder that Derek would never be coming back.  
Though through them she had learned things she never knew about Derek, like how he loved to ride his bicycle down Feltman hill during the spring. Even after he crashed it one May and broke his helmet in two. Or how he would go to old lady Eva White's house for cookies Sunday afternoon.

Those things made her feel closer to Derek, it strengthened the bond that she had with him and made him seem less... gone.

Walking over to her closet she opened it up and looked around. She wanted to look... nice today. But Emily had been right when she said it would be an almost impossible task. But Penelope thought that she could pull it off today.  
Fingering a purple cotton dress she bought on their last shopping trip, she pulled it out and laid it on the bed.

Penelope stepped back and looked at it. It was slightly loose so it would give room for the little boxers in her tummy, and it was tight enough to hug her figure nicely.

It would have to do.

She slipped it on and admired her growing belly in the mirror. Every day she seemed to wake up larger. Penelope wondered how long it would be until her skin split open like a fat pea.

"Hey there guys, your grandma and aunties are going to be visiting for a few days. They're here to spoil your mommy rotten, how does that sound?" She hugged her belly and smiled at the movements her babies made as she touched her body.  
"I know, it sounds awesome, doesn't it? Now, mommy has to go and put on some make-up. Do me a favour and stay still for a few moments."

She turned to go back into the bathroom but stopped when she heard David's knock. "Hey Kitten, I'm heading to the airport now, do you want to come?"

"No David, I'm not ready yet and besides I wouldn't mind some time alone before the rush." Penelope yelled through the door.

"Alright, call me if you need anything, ok?"

Looking in the cabinet she pondered on what she would wear. Over the years she had acquired a vast amount of make-up. Most not in the usual shades.  
Settling on her purple MAC Creme de la Femme lipstick she opened the tube and carefully began her make-up ritual.

Once done she made her way downstairs and began setting up. Unlike usual baby showers the men of the team would be taking part.

Penelope had insisted on having everyone there. Her family were finally back together and she intended on capitalizing on it every chance she got.  
She put he Ipod in a the docking station and cranked up the volume. Swaying her body to the rhythm of music emanating from the device.  
Getting out a bowl she filled it with the yummy chocolate eggs she loved. Picking one up she popped it in her mouth and savoured the chocolate as it melted. Next came the Chex mix with M&M's melted into them, and then the tiny Reese Peanut Butter cups.

Penelope loved chocolate, and since it was her baby shower, she was going to have a lot of it.

Dancing and prepping she didn't hear the door open nor did she hear David clearing his throat. Only when her music suddenly stopped did she see David and Derek's family standing in the kitchen.  
"Oh... I did not realize you guys were here..."

"Penelope! Oh my, you have gotten so big since we last saw you!" Fran drew her into a hug. "How are you? And how are my grandbabies?"

"I'm doing fine Fran, a little embarrassed that you guys had to see that, but fine. And your grandbabies are beating me senseless."

Fran laughed. "Well, Derek was an active baby too so I am not surprised. Just wait until they come out, then the real fun will begin."

Sarah walked over and popped an egg in her mouth. "Oh, I love these!"

"Sarah, Penelope probably went to a lot of work getting the snacks ready. Don't go pigging out on them."

"Sorry ma. So, when will everyone be getting here?"

Penelope looked at the clock on the wall. "In about fifteen or so. Aaron will be here in about ten with Beth. Those two are always early."

"Here, before they get here let me take your bags to your rooms." David picked up a couple bags.

"Thanks David. But that is too much for you, let me help."

/

Sure enough, Aaron and Beth arrived with Jack ten minutes later and took a seat on the couch across from Penelope and Derek's family.  
"Not much longer now Penelope. You have what, a month to go?" Beth asked.

"A little less, twins usually arrive a but earlier than normal babies." She slid the bowl across the table to the couple. "Here, have some, these are to die for. Well, figuratively speaking."

Aaron reached in and pulled out a few bits of the gooey mess. "So, how has it been living with David?"

"Well, you remember that time that Gideon invaded my office and made it smell like soya sauce? This is the opposite. David is very nice to live with and as a bonus he appreciates my cooking."

"What is this about Gideon?" Sarah asked. "It seems like an interesting story."

"Oh and it is. The team was out on a case but Gideon had damaged his leg and couldn't go with them. So, our fearless leader stuck him with me for the entire case. And by the time the team had returned Gideon had left six boxes of crap in my office and left my bat cave smelling like soya sauce. It was disgusting." She glared at Aaron. "He was lucky that you guys came back when you did because I was about ready to beat him with one of his crutches."

The chime for the door bell rang and Penelope began to get up. "Ugh, this belly does not make it easy to get up."

"Just stay where you are Penelope, I'll get the door."

She sat back and grinned at the women. "I've decided that this is one of the advantages of being pregnant. People automatically want to do things for me. Grant you, I normally like to do things myself but with two babies inside sometimes things get a little harder.  
Speaking of kids, do you think that you would want more?" Penelope asked Beth.

"Honestly, no. Jack is more than enough and besides, I don't think Aaron wants any more. He's more or less dedicated his life to Jack. And to the team."

"And to you too Beth. You've changed him and for the better. He's... happy again."

"Hey. I was hoping to be the first one but I see you beat me too it."

Penelope turned her head. "Hey Spencer. Come over here and sit down so we can pig out on Chex and chocolate together."

"Actually, can I have a coffee? I forgot to have my 4th cup this afternoon. I got distracted."

Penelope looked at him questionably, he didn't normally get distracted. Usually the Spencer Reid she knew was goal driven and meticulous in his day to day routine. "...Sure. The k-cups you like are in the drawer below the coffee machine. Knock yourself up, I mean out."

"Nice one, Penelope." Aaron began to go to Beth but Penelope grabbed onto his sleeve and stopped him. Crooking her finger she motioned for him to dip his head down.

"What's up with Spencer. He never gets distracted, ever."

Aaron shrugged his shoulders. "I have no clue. He seems alright now."

Next came Emily with Andrea in one arm and her gift bag in another.

"Here, let me take Andrea." David offered, taking the infant into his arms.  
"Hi there kiddo. How's my little sweet pea doing today?" He bopped her nose with his finger, causing the child to giggle. "I see mommy got you a new outfit. It is becoming of you."

"I can take her now, thanks David." Emily took her daughter back into her arms. "But could you get the car seat out from my car so I have something to put her in?"

"Sure."

Emily came over and sat beside Spencer, who started playing peek-a-boo with the child. Smiling whenever she laughed.

"Em, it's amazing isn't it? How a baby can cause a man with an IQ of 185 to become this." Penelope motioned to Spencer who now had progressed to playing paddy cake with Andrea's hands.

He quickly looked over. "It's 187 thank you."

Desirée shook her head in mock disappointment. "Picky, picky, picky."

Penelope leaned over and grabbed a couple Reeses. "Oh you have no idea ladies."

Soon J.J., and Will arrived with Henry in tow.

"I hope we're not to late Penelope." Will came over and gave Penelope a friendly kiss on her forehead. "Henry decided it would be a good idea to paint." He put Henry down and the boy immediately went to play with Jack.

J.J. tilted her head and grinned. "With my lipstick. It took half an hour to get the stuff off of him. When Cover Girl says 24 stay they really do mean it."

"Come here bestie and give me a hug. All that matters is that you guys are here."

And last to show was Alex. "I am so sorry I am late Penelope. This is the first baby shower I have been to so I was unfamiliar with the protocol." She rushed over and hugged the hostess.

"Really? You never had a friend that was pregnant?"

"No. Back when I was in the FBI it was a real boys club. Not many women and aside from Strauss I was the only one in my unit. As you know, the bureau doesn't really allot time for friends outside of the agency. And in my academic field the genetic odds were still stacked against me."

Penelope pointed to a spot beside David. "Well, sit right down and we will show you how this is done. And sometime next week if I am not in labour and if there is no case, we will have some girl time again, I promise."

/

Penelope opened the first gift from Aaron and Beth. Taking out the fragile tissue paper she looked inside and squinted when she saw what was in the bottom.

Reaching in she pulled out a picture of a baby swing. "Thanks guys, but I'm not really sure what it is."

"It's two baby swings that we got for you." Aaron said. "The shipment got delayed so we couldn't give you the actual present. But when it does get here, and when those babies get here, it will be very useful. The one we... I... had for Jack saved my sanity more than once."

"You mean you actually did have sanity at one point?" Spencer smirked.

Penelope rolled up a ball of tissue and flung it at Spencer. "Be nice." She then picked up the gift from Alex.

"I'm not sure if this is the right gift for a baby shower so I apologize in advance."

"Oh don't worry Alex. It's from you so I will love it." Tearing off the paper she opened the box and sifted through the foam beads.

She pulled out a children's book. When Penelope read the title she gasped. "Oh my goodness Alex! 'Love You Forever'! My mom used to read me this..." She looked up at Alex with tears running down her cheeks. "Thank you."

Penelope looked through the pages and remembered the times when her mother would read her that book at bedtime and how afterwards her mom would always make sure that Penelope knew her parents loved her. Even thought they had to be away for long periods of time. She could already picture herself reading this book to her own children.

Taking a moment she composed herself so she could carry on.

Next up was David's gift. It had been wrapped with such care and such beautiful paper Penelope almost didn't want to open it. But David egged her on and after a few seconds she ripped into it.

"A baby monitor! Wow, thanks David."

"It is better than a baby monitor. This device allows you to access the monitor no matter where you are using a direct link to your Iphone. When we have to pull you away from home for a case you can still watch your babies."

Penelope began reading the other features. "Wow... I can even speak to my babies from my phone. What wonderful magic this is." Putting the box down she moved onto the next gift.

She reached for J.J. and Will's but her BFF grabbed the bag and took it away. "We want you to save this one for last. Trust us, it will be worth it."

"You realize by doing that you made me want to open it even more, right?" Penelope wined. "But, if you insist I might as well open Spencer's."

Picking up the large bag that Spencer's gift was in she ripped the tape and tossed out the tissue paper. "Oh Spencer. How did you ever think this up?" Penelope asked as she pulled out a breast pump.

"Well, a couple weeks ago I read an article on how breast feeding is more beneficial to infants than formula. And considering the rising rate of cases involving baby formula tainted with lead and arsenic I assumed that you wouldn't want to use formula."

"Spence."

"What J.J.?"

"You're blushing."

Spencer made a face. "No I'm not!"

Penelope grinned. "Oh oh, yes you are! Spencer, you are adorable. And whenever I am pumping my breasts for milk I will make sure to think of you." She finished off with a wink. Making the doctor's face turn a couple shades darker.

Spencer, right then, wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die. "Can we just get on with this."

"Oh Spencer, you know I kid. Thanks for the gift, it is very thoughtful and will be very useful. I would expect nothing less from my practical genius. And btw, after I am done being a human pod you and I need to spend some quality time together. A new comic book store just opened up and I know you would _love_ debating the faults in the comics with the cashier." Penelope smile at J.J., Alex, and Em, then reached for the next gift.  
"This one is from Sarah. Let's see what is in this pretty bag." Reaching in Penelope pulled out two pieces of cloth that felt like towels but had a pouch. "Are these towels or some new form of baby carrier?"

"They're called Kangaroo towels meant to dry off the babies while keeping you dry. And, these ones adjust so you can use them for quite a while." Sarah smiled. "When I had my baby I used these and believe me they are very useful when you are dealing with a wet and squirming baby."

"Aww, thanks Sarah." Penelope blew Derek's sister a kiss before moving onto the next item. "Alright, this one is from Desirée. Oooh, this one has a little weight to it!" Ripping off the paper she revealed the item.  
"A car organizer! Sweet mother of god."

"It'll help when you are on the go. It is easier than digging through your diaper bag."

"Yeah, Des got me one for my baby shower and now I can't live without it." Sarah said. "Trust me, it will see a lot of use."

"Thanks! I'll put it in my van first thing tomorrow.. Now for Fran's. I'm slowly getting to that allusive present from J.J. and Will."

Penelope gasped when she saw it.

Reaching in she pulled out a custom children's book, her eyes glistened as she ran her fingers over the title. "As It Seems". It had been their song, even before they became a couple.  
Flipping through she realized that it was the story of her life with Derek, censored for children.

"I figured the children needed a way to feel close to Derek and know him. A few months ago I heard of this local author who made children's books based on a story that you write I emailed him the story of the two of you and some pictures for him to go on.  
If you look there should be another copy in there."

"Wow. Oh my guys, it even has the Gomez moment in there!"

Alex looked puzzled. "Gomez?"

"When Derek and I first met he didn't know my name. He guessed Gomez because someone" she looked at Spencer, "told him that was my name. And when I didn't respond he called me Baby Girl... that was the first time he did that..." Wiping the tears she pulled out the second one and tucked both of them beside her.

"Here, open mine!" Emily tossed a ball of wrapped paper towards Penelope.

"I really hope this wasn't breakable."

"Don't worry, now just open it!"

Ripping through the paper Penelope pulled out two of the softest baby blankets. "Oh my goodness, these are so soft! And, they both have fleur de lis all over them! I love them Em."

"They're hand woven from France. Much higher quality than anything you could buy here." Emily, whose arms were tired, put a sleeping Andrea in her car seat. "And when we have our next girl's day I intend on getting you a couple car seats. No ifs, ands, or buts."

"Oh, I love it when you day 'buts' Em. And thanks so much. And I'll let you get me those car seats if you let me get you a belated gift for missing your baby shower." Reaching over she grabbed the decent sized bag from J.J. and Will. "And now I finally get to open this one. It better be good guys."

Will and J.J. threw each other a glance and smiled. They both knew that this would get a good reaction.

She pulled out a long box and opened it, when she saw what the box held her eyes bugged out. Reaching in she fingered the tiny clothes before pulling a onesie out. Turning it around she gasped. Written on the light pink outfit was 'Baby Girl' in sparkling dark pink lettering. "Oh wow..."

"Look at the other ones Pen."

Taking J.J.'s advice she pulled out the onesies one by one and came closer to crying with every one. There were five girl onesies with: Baby Girl, Sweetness, Momma, Sweet Cheeks, and Goddess. The boys also had unique names written on them: Hot Stuff, Chocolate Thunder, Adonis, Baby Boy, and Handsome.

She ran her fingers over the names. "These were all nicknames we had for each other... How did you remember all of these?"

"After listening to you call each other those names for over eight years, I don't think any of us will ever forget them."

"Oh J.J., this was worth it. Oh boy was it worth it. Come over here."

Getting up her BFF came over and tightly hugged Penelope, making sure Penelope's face wasn't visible to the others, just in case she cried.

"Thanks J.J." Penelope whispered. Holding on tight.

"No problem Pen."

They pulled apart when they heard Spencer clearing his throat. "Hey J.J. Remember that time I baby sat for you and you said it would only be a couple of hours?"

Raising an eyebrow J.J. tried to think of where this was leading. "Yeah?"

"Well..." Spencer picked Henry up and handed him a handful of chocolate eggs. "enjoy."

A devilish smile crossed the young doctor's face.

"Oh Spence, you are so dead."


	11. Baby Time!

_Thanks once again for the amazing reviews. Reading them makes the -30C weather a little bit more bearable. And yes, it is -30 where I live right now.  
Now for part 11, this is it people, the babies are coming! But don't worry because the story is not over yet. ;) Enjoy.  
And as usual, I do not own Criminal Minds. (sad face)_

Penelope had entered the 8th month of her pregnancy a couple weeks ago and now the effects were really starting to weigh on her.  
To say she felt like an overgrown cow... would be a serious understatement.

Shifting in her chair she played solitaire on her computer while waiting for a call from her team.

Two weeks ago Hotch had once again tried to put her on maternity leave. Well, more like begged and eventually threatened her. But she couldn't take the time off when she knew people's lives were at stake. So they had reached a compromise: Penelope wouldn't take maternity leave but she would work from home.

Penelope loved it. No commuting to the office, no Strauss to deal with, and she got to work in her Hello Kitty maternity pyjamas. The only disadvantage to this arrangement was not being able to see her team when they got back. But after a case had finished at least one of them stopped by to talk to her.

Suddenly her phone lit up with a call. Using her fuzzy pink kitty pen she answered it. "Greetings Mortal, what may I do for you today?"

"_Hi Garcia. Could you check the list of registered sex offenders for the Spokane area? We are looking for someone that has a list of offences connected to children."_

"Will do my adorable little doctor. Anything else for today?"

"_Yeah, how are you doing?"_

"Aside from feeling like my uterus has become a punching bag, Oh!" She winced as a foot dealt her a very well placed kick. "There it is again. They are being very active today. Aside from that I am my usual perky Goddess. Thanks for asking Junior G-Man.  
Is that all?"

/

She sifted through the sex registry for that golden gem that would break the case, It amazed her how so many people could prey on the most innocent of society. Sure, she had noticed before, but now that Penelope was about to become a mother herself she took even more notice.

Scrolling down the list she made a mental note to install a custom security system in David's house.

There!  
Penelope clicked on the name and opened up the file. Looking at the list of offenses she gasped. Picking up the phone she hit the speed dial for Reid.

"_Hi, this is the brilliant Dr. Spencer Reid. What nuggets of information do you have for me?"_

Instantly she put her hand to her mouth to prevent herself from breaking out in laughter. After a few moments she composed herself enough to talk. "What was that Reid?"

"_I umm... you seem to have fun with these types of greetings so... I though I would give it an..um. try."_

"My dear Dr., nice try, but if I were you I would stick to a simple but adorable 'Hello'. Now, do you want those 'nuggets of information' or what?"

"_Of course..."_

"Ok, well I have a surprise for you. After doing some much needed digging I found a woman that fits your profile to a T. Her name is Yvonne Summerfelt. She has a long, and I mean a long, list of sex offensives against kids. Honestly, how do people like her get away... Anyways Miss. Summerfelt moved to Spokane right before the first disappearance. And here is something even more interesting, she lived in Olympia, Washington four years ago and guess what? Back then they had a rash of kidnappings that were never solved. Most of the kids lived on the street so no one even reported them missing..."

"_Address?"_

"Sending it to your phone as we speak. She also has some hidden property outside of town. And of course I am sending you that too. Take care Reid."

"_You too, Garcia. Rossi and I will go and check it out."_

Hanging up, she reached over and picked up a photo on her desk. "Derek... your babies are real kickers, you know that? They're beating their poor mother senseless." Penelope ran her fingers over the glass and recalled that Thanksgiving dinner at Aaron's place.

She had just broken up with Kevin, for good. And was a bit gloomy. Who wouldn't be after coming to the conclusion that a relationship one had tried so hard to make it work, had reached its end?  
She gotten herself tipsy on the wine that seemed to flow so freely, after the dinner was over Derek had taken her away to their spot along the river.

As she had laid in his arms on the bench she could swear that Derek wanted to say something that night. But whatever he wanted to say she would never know

Later, Derek had dropped her off at her apartment. Again, she swore that he wanted to say something. He had that pensive look on his face, his eyebrows were furrowed. But again, nothing had passed between them besides a 'Merry Christmas' and a 'Good night'.

She was taken from her thoughts by a cold nose digging into her side. Putting the picture back she reached down and gave Cloony's head a pet.  
"Hey there boy, do you and Mudgie want to go outside for a pee?"

Cloony had recently moved in with her and David. Aaron had initially taken him in but last month discovered that Jack had become allergic.

And so Penelope volunteered to take him, since then Mudgie and Cloony were proving to be quite the duo.

Penelope got up, with some effort, and walked downstairs, with dogs hot on her heals. Checking the backyard, she opened the door and let him out. She stood in the open door for a minute and watched them chase each other around, closing her eyes she enjoyed the feeling of the fresh April air.

After a couple minutes she called them back in, locked the door, and began her journey up the stairs. Halfway up she felt sharp pain in her back. Grabbing a rail with one hand she used the other to grab her belly. She took shallow breaths until the pain ebbed away.  
In a few moments it had passed and Penelope began walking up the stairs again. Once in her room she once again too her seat. Looking at the clock on her computer she made note that Aaron would be calling her in about two hours to check up on her.

That man ran like clockwork. Perfectly predictable.

And sure enough, two hours later, her phone rang with his ID. "Hi Boss Man."

"_Hi Garcia. Just calling to tell you that we solved the case and should be home soon, and to see how you are doing."_

"Aww, thanks Sir. I am doing just fine so you can put your pretty mind of your to ea- Oh!" Again, she felt that sharp feeling in her back. This time it was followed by a rush of liquid.

"_Garcia, are you alright?"_

"Umm..." She bit her lip trying to hide her panic. "I think my water just broke..."

"_Ah shit... Garcia... I'm going to call an ambulance. Hang in there and we will be home as fast as we can."_

/

Hotch hung up the phone and turned to look at the team. The blood had drained from his face.

"Is everything alright?" J.J.'s voice was lined with panic.

"Hold on a second." Hotch dialled Stanton Hospital. "Hi, could I please be connected to Dr. Margaret Pierce. Thanks. Hi, Dr. Pierce. It's Aaron Hotchner from the FBI. Penelope Garcia, one of your patients has just gone into labour. I'm going to be calling an ambulance and hopefully she will be arriving soon."

The mouths of J.J., Emily, Blake, Rossi, and Reid all dropped in unison.

"Did... did he just say Penelope went into labour?" Rossi said, finally finding his voice.

Reid nervously gulped and pursed his lips. "I think so..."

Hotch hung up his phone and looked at his time. "Come on, we need to get back to Quantico, now! J.J., call Mrs. Morgan, let her know that Penelope's water has just broken."

/

At the hospital Penelope laid in a bed, hooked up to an IV and a machine to monitor her and the babies' heart beats. Alone, she had begun to let her nerves get to her.

According to Spencer this was one of the most dangerous times in a woman's life. Women still died in childbirth, even in the US, even with the best medical care. What if she died? Would the team do a good enough job raising her babies? Of course they would. She already had J.J. and Will sign a document saying that they would take care of the babies if anything happened to her. But...

She perked up when she heard a set of familiar footsteps coming down the hall. Soon her team flooded in, and judging by their appearances and their go bags still slung over their shoulders, they had come strait from the airport to her.

J.J. was the first at her bedside, taking Penelope's hand in hers. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel as if my body is being ripped apart." Penelope groaned as she felt another contraction ripping into her.

Spencer picked up her chart. "It seems like her vitals are alright, and it looks like the fetuses vitals are also within the normal range. According to the chart all they need to do is take a final ultrasound to determine the mode of delivery."

Penelope nervously looked the room. David, instinctively, took the hand that J.J. was not holding and gently squeezed it, careful of the IV needed embedded in it. "Kitten, it'll be alright. Soon this will all be over and you will get to hold your babies."

"Is Fran coming?" Penelope asked.

"Yes, she will be here in a few hours."

"Thanks, J.J."

/

An hour later a nurse came into the room hauling an ultrasound machine.

Penelope threw her a glare. "About damn time." She mumbled.

"So sorry for the delay Miss Garcia. It's been a busy day for babies." Setting the machine next to Penelope, the nurse motioned to the team. "Now, if you could all step outside for a minute, I need to check how dilated her cervix is. Unless you want them to be here Miss Garcia?"

"Guys, you heard the nurse, everyone but J.J. get the hell outta here!"

Looking at the team, the nurse grabbed a pair of gloves and began putting them on. "Don't worry, most women get just a little cranky when they are in labour."

Penelope laid down a glare. "Oh you think I'm cranky now... just wait."

Once they had left the nurse had Penelope lift her legs into the stirrups and lifted up her gown. Penelope gasped and clenched her hand onto J.J.'s as she felt the nurses fingers poke and prod her birth canal.

"Well, Miss Garcia, it looks like those little ones are in a hurry. Your already 8cm dilated. Most women take hours to reach that when they have their first babies."

Taking off the gloves off, the nurse turned on the ultrasound machine and took out the bottle of gel. Pushing the gown to one side she liberally poured the cold gel onto Penelope's belly. She winced at the familiar feeling.

"Alright Miss. Garcia, lets take one final look at these two and see if we can do a vaginal birth." Putting the probe on Penelope's belly she moved it around for a few moments. "Good news, both of your babies are in the vertex position and are facing your back. That means it should be an easy birth, you are a lucky lady."

Taking a sterile towel the nurse wiped the gel off and replaced Penelope's gown.

"Do you want me to get the rest of your family back in here?"

"Yes, and when can I get those drugs? I want an epidural!"

The nurse took the chart and wrote down the new information. "Since you are having twins I would advise against an epidural. The last thing we want is to risk slowing down your delivery or the babies heartbeat. But we can give you a very mild sedative to reduce the pain."

Penelope grunted in frustration and laid back down. "Damn it. That is so not what I wanted to hear..."

/

Three hours later Penelope was still waiting for her cervix to finish dilating. And as the time passed she became more and more agitated. Though the pain had lessened a fraction with the pain killers she had taken a couple of hours ago.

"Why won't these two just come out already."

Just them Dr. Pierce walked in.

Penelope tried her best to sit up, which she failed at. "About damn time..."

"Sorry Miss. Garcia, I just had to finish up with another patient." She picked up Penelope's chart and went through it. "It says your last check-up was an hour ago? Good. And they gave you the painkillers." Margaret placed it on the table beside the bed.

"Alright guys, you know the deal. Leave the room for a few moments while I check her."

After quickly checking, Margaret looked up and smiled. "Good news Penelope, you are ready for us to move you to the labour room. Now I have a copy of your birthing plan and it says here that you want Dr. Reid and Mrs. Morgan in the room with you, correct?"

"Yes, but Mrs. Morgan hasn't arrived yet... apparently her flight was delayed... again..."

"Would you like someone else in there with you?"

Penelope thought for a moment. David was like a father to her and she would have loved to have him there, but she needed a woman with her. Someone who knew what giving birth would be like. Sure, Spencer had come to those birthing classes with her but... he was a guy, and still somewhat clueless when it came to human emotions.

"Yeah. J.J."

"Ok Penelope. I will let J.J. know. Meanwhile I will get a couple nurses in here to move you. I'll see you in a few moments. Then the real fun can begin."

/

The group waited in the lobby. All the adults had a coffee in hand, prepared for a long night. According to the nurses it could take hours for the birth to end.

David paced between the chairs playing with his watch, Alex nervously looked around the room, Aaron and Emily played with Jack and Andrea in the corner where the hospital staff had placed a box of toys.

/

Inside the labour room, Penelope was straining to push out the first baby.

"Good job Penelope. A couple more pushes and we will have your first baby. Just keep at it."

Gripping Spencer and J.J.'s hands Penelope prepared for the final assault.

"Remember Penelope, deep steady breaths. Just breath." Spencer felt his hand go numb from the increased pressure.

"You too Spence, you look like a ghost." J.J. said.

Penelope gritted her teeth. "Yeah Reid, no fainting in the delivery room. Oh god, here it comes. How the hell could anyone call this FUN?! Oh mother of god!"

Spencer closed his eyes and tried not to cry out in pain as he felt the bones in his hand almost break. He knew that even though his hand had begun to throb, Penelope was going through way worse pain than he, and she needed his support.

"Good, very good. One more Penelope, just one more for this one."

"J.J." Penelope turned her tired eyes to her BFF. "I have a new... a new respect for you."

Her friend pushed a sweat soaked strand of hair away from Penelope's face. "Shh... just concentrate, you are doing a great job."

Feeling another contraction, Penelope put her chin to her chest and groaned. She felt a wet form slip from her body in a flush of liquid. Her head crashed to the pillow As she began to draw strength from her tired body for the next round.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard her baby's lusty cries filling the room.

"Congratulations Penelope. You have a very healthy son." Margaret lifted the blood and mucus covered infant up so Penelope could get a look at her boy. "Who do you want to cut the cord?"

The exhausted Penelope turned to face Spencer. "You."

Gulping. Spencer pried his hand from Penelope's and walked over. Careful not to look down. Taking the scissors he closed his eyes as he clipped the cord.

/

Penelope's 'family' perked up as they saw a nurse walking their way. "Garcia? Baby number one just came. Despite being slightly premature he is in perfect health. Though we are keeping him in the natal ICU overnight so we can monitor his vitals better."

"And what about Penelope?" David asked, his voice laced with worry.

"Working on delivering baby number two."

Just then, Fran ran in. Breathless.

"I'm so sorry. The plane got delayed about half a dozen times before they finally let us board. Please tell me I am not too late!"

David smiled, relieved that she made it in time. "Not at all. The nurse was just telling us that your grandson has arrived and that Penelope is working on bringing your granddaughter into the world."

/

Penelope was exhausted. She had been in labour for what seemed like a lifetime. Barely aware of what was around her she kept on pushing and breathing.

"Penelope, you are doing such a good job. Just hang in there!"

"J.J.?"

She felt someone rub her back as another god awful contraction hit. "Aaurgh! Get this thing out of me, now!"

"We're working on it sweetie, but you need to give me one more push for this one, ok? I know you can do that girl." Was that the doctor? It must have been.

"One more, just one more Penelope. Just one more push and it will be all over."

"Spencer?"

"I'm right here, Penelope. Right here."

She was exhausted. Her energy drained. One more push... it was too much to ask of her body. She couldn't do it.

Closing her eyes she heard a very faint voice, she could barely hear it. But she knew instantly who it belonged to. "Baby Girl..."  
Feeling another contraction she summoned the last bit of energy and pushed. And once again she felt something slide from her body, and something ripping inside of her. But Penelope did not care. It was over. It was finally over.

Laying back she smiled when she heard the cries of her daughter join those of her son. So happy... but so very tired.. very... very tired. She closed her eyes...

/

J.J. watched as the babies were being weighed and measured. She admired at how perfect they looked and instantly she was reminded of when she saw Henry for the first time. She made a mental note of asking Will for another baby when the chaos was over.

Spencer on the other hand sat by Penelope, wiping the sweat off of her forehead. He was at awe at the spectacle he had borne witness to. He had always believed that women were stronger than society gave them credit for, and after watching Penelope deliver two babies his belief in that had been solidified.

But wiping the sweat away he couldn't help but realize that she had grown considerably paler.

The sound of liquid dripping brought his eyes down to the floor, where a large pool of blood had formed.  
Penelope's blood.


	12. Love

___Sorry for this taking longer than usual. Woke up this morning to find out propane had run out. Not fun. Typing with frozen fingers is also not fun. But, it is done. I guess this is karma for leaving you guys on a cliffhanger...  
Enjoy, and don't worry, the story is not over yet. I still have big plans.  
And as usual, I don't own Criminal Minds. If I did I would be in California where it would be warm._

Outside a nurse came into the waiting room. "Garcia?"

"That's us." Aaron said.

The stone look on the nurse's face instantly filled David with fear. "How is Penelope doing in there?"

"I am happy to say that the baby girl is as healthy as her brother and is going to join him in the natal ICU, just for the night."

"And Penelope?" David asked again.

The nurse took in a deep breath. She always hated it when the news was not entirely good news. "She lost a lot of blood when one of her placentas tore away from the uterine wall too early during delivery. We are trying our best to stabilize her."

Fran felt her heart stop. "Will she be ok?"

"We don't know..."

/

___The sun's morning rays were breaking over the water. Casting away the blackness of the night._

___Penelope sat on the bench with Derek next to her.  
She turned to look at him. The gentle wind blowing her blonde curls back. "You're dead."_

___He turned his eyes to her, meeting hers. "I know."_

_"__Am I dead?" Her voice was quaking with emotion._

_"__Not yet Baby Girl." Derek placed a hand on hers._

She balked at the cold feeling of his skin, but chose not to remove it. "What happened?"

_"__One of the placentas ruptured and you lost a lot of blood."_

_"__Will I survive?"_

___He shrugged his shoulders in a matter of fact way. "It depends."_

_"__Depends on what?"_

___His eyebrows furrowed and his face took on a serious look. "Depends on how strong your will to live is."_

___Taking her hand from his she scooted over and leaned her head on his shoulder. Once again shocked at how cold he felt. He put his arm around her, drawing Penelope even closer._

_"__I want to be with you... I miss you so much Derek."_

_"__I know." She could tell he was struggling not to break. "But staying here means giving up the chance to see our babies grow. And, I know you want that."_

___Penelope pouted. "But I miss you... you don't know what it has been like... Living without you. Going through this alone." Suddenly she sat up and glared at him._

_"__Why did you have to be so stupid? You knew I was pregnant and yet you still took risks, you still put yourself in places where you shouldn't have been._

___Why did you have to die..." She could feel the warm tears beginning to stream down her face.`_

_"__I know how hard it has been... I've been there watching you and feeling your pain." Derek moved his hand to her face and wiped some of the warm tears away. "Believe me Penelope, I did not plan it out this way. I did not want to die, and I never wanted to hurt you like that. What I wanted to do so was to come back home with you. But, it just didn't work out that way."_

_"__If you wanted to come home then you shouldn't have put yourself in danger like that." Now her sobbing voice was laced with anger and pain. "You always had to be the one who put yourself at risk. All those bombs, the ambulance, the gun fire... every time it was you."_

___Derek cupped her face and met her eyes with his. "It was either me or the kid. I could not let that kid die... I had to try. _

___And as for me always being the one who took risks... that made me who I was Baby Girl. Without that, I would not be Derek Morgan, and I would not have been your Hot Stuff now would I?"_

___The anger slowly melted away and Penelope could not help but smile. "I guess not. But still..."_

_"__I know Baby Girl... I know.. But your time hasn't come yet. You still have stuff you need to do. And you need to take care of my babies. Everyone is anxious to see you wake up..."_

_"__But..." She bit her lip and held back another wave of tears. "I still want to be with you."_

___He drew her in even closer and sighed. It felt great to have her warm body in his arms again but he could not let her come to him, not yet. "And someday you will. When your time comes I will be waiting for you and we will be together. Mark my words._

___Until then I will be watching over you. I will stand guard over you until you pass into my world. I promise you, Penelope Garcia."_

___Penelope smiled. "You know Derek Morgan, I kinda love you."_

_"__I kinda love you too, Penelope Garcia." He drew her into a kiss. Derek savoured the warm feeling of her lips on his, the taste of her mouth, and her intoxicating scent. He had to resist the urge to beg her to stay in his world._

___Pulling back, he gave her a warm smile. "Now go and take care of my babies, woman."_

___She hugged him one last time, memorizing the feel of his body and his scent, stood up, and began to ____walk away._

_"__Hey Gomez."_

___She turned around and looked at him. "Yeah?"_

_"__I love you, you know that right?"_

/

In the waiting room the group huddled for what seemed like hours together drawing on each other for support waiting for news. The last time the tension hung to thick it wasn't good. It was back when they were told Emily had died.

J.J. put her head in her hands.

Spencer, noticing her grief rubbed her back with his spare hand. "It was not your fault J.J."

"No, Spence, it was. I should have been watching her instead of the babies. I should have been taking better care of her."

He pursed his lips. "No, if anything it was mine. I was the one that stayed back with her. I should have noticed the blood sooner..."

"J.J., Spencer, no one is to blame." They both looked up to see Aaron hovering over them. "Sometimes these things... happen. And, Penelope is a strong woman, she will be ok."

"Hotch... she lost a lot of blood in there." Spencer's voice was barely a whisper. Aaron had to struggle to hear it.

"Spencer, I-"

"Garcia?"

Every pair of eyes shot to the nurse standing before the team.

"I have an update on Miss. Garcia's condition. Bad news is that she lost a great deal of blood. Good news is that we were able to get her stabilized. Right now she is in the ICU and her condition is being monitored 24/7. It is touch and go now but if she makes it through the night she'll survive."

"Can we see her?" Spencer asked.

"Yes, but only one at a time. And only for a few moments."

"What about the babies?" J.J. asked.

"You can see them too but because they are in the natal ICU only two of you can visit at a time."

/

Spencer was the first to see Penelope. As he walked towards her bed he noted that she looked paler than before.  
'Must be from the loss of blood.' He thought. To him she almost looked as pale as the corpses he saw on a near daily basis. Only the steady rise and fall of her chest made him think otherwise.

Laying there with the half a dozen tubes sticking out, she looked so very alien to him.

"Hi Penelope. It's me, Spencer. I'm not sure what you remember from the delivery, but you have two healthy babies. The nurse said that they do not see twins that often who are in such good condition. You must have done a really good job incubating them." He took her hand in his and gently squeezed it.  
"Listen, you have to pull through ok? You have two adorable babies waiting for their mother and without Derek... they will need you. And I need you too... you are like the sister I always wished for and even though I get mad at you sometimes I love you and I need you."

He closed his eyes and choked back his fear. "Penelope, don't you dare leave me. You can't leave me too." He spent the rest of the visit holding her hand and stroking it. Thinking of how lucky he was to be able to pick his siblings.

Next J.J. came in. She balked at the door when she saw the condition of her friend. Breathing in deeply she squared her shoulders and walked to Penelope's bedside.

"I am so sorry Penelope... I should have been watching you..." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, smearing her mascara. "Please don't go... Henry needs his godmother, and if Will and I have another kid they'll need you too. You can't go. You just can't... You're my best friend... I need you." J.J. laid her head on her friend's shoulder and let her resolve break, allowing her tears to finally flow.  
She didn't stop until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Drying her tears she turned around to see Emily.

"Will's here with Henry."

"...Thanks Em." J.J. gave Penelope's hand a squeeze before getting up.

"Has there been any improvement?"

J.J. shook her head, struggling to regain her composure. "No, but when the nurse last came in he said she wasn't any worse. I guess that is something." J.J. eyes shifted from the floor to Emily. "You know, the last time we were all here was after you were hurt by Doyle. I never thought I would see everyone looking so... lost, again."

Emily took J.J. in her arms and held her while she broke down again. "It'll be alright, she'll get better. We just have to wait a bit. Now, go and see your family. They are waiting for you."

After J.J. left Emily took the seat by Penelope's bed. She looked around at the machines. "You're in a pretty bad shape P.G., but I know you can pull through." Gulping she took Penelope's hand. "You are as tough as nails and the Penelope I know is far too stubborn to die.  
You need to pull, so we can watch Andrea and your little playing. You know they are going to be good friends.  
I'm sorry that we didn't stay touch as well as we should when I was in Europe... it was hard to find time between Andrea and work. But I have a chance to make that up to you... please don't give up. You can't. We need you... I need you."

Alex came in hot on Emily's heals.  
Usually she had been able to distance herself from tragedy. It helped her keep some of her sanity reserved. But, this was different. She went from the high of being excited for the birth of Penelope's children, to a fear induced low. There had been no time to prepare, to withdraw and build up a barrier.  
"Penelope. It's me, Alex." She leaned against the wall beside Penelope's bed. "You know, you have the entire team on pins and needles, waiting for you to wake up. I think David will wear a trail into the floor if you do not wake up soon." She glanced at the clock on the wall, the ticking seemed to get louder and louder. "It's 2:30am. Everyone says that if you make it through the night you will be alright. It would be very nice if you made it." Gathering up her courage she sat down.  
"You and I both know what it is like to lose both parents far too soon. You wouldn't do that to your children, would you? I know you had J.J. and Will sign a form for legal guardianship but you and I know that no one can take the place of a mother." She took Penelope's hand.  
"You have to wake up. You have to be strong enough to wake up. If not for yourself but for you children. They need you."

Squeezing her friend's hand, Alex tried to crack a smile. "Penelope, David bought your children two teddy bears from the gift shop. I do not think I have ever seen teddy bears that big before. You will _love_ them. And I, got your girl a little bunny and your boy a little caterpillar. I think by the time you three leave here, you children will have a stuffed animal for every day of the week."

Fran had just come from the ICU. It was her time to see Penelope. Before she went into the room Fran closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer for the woman inside. 'Derek... watch over her please, make sure she comes back to us...'

Walking in she be-lined it for the bed. "Hey sweetheart. Alex said you were looking a little better when she left... guess that is a good sign, huh?" She gripped the rail on the side of the bed. "You always here of women who had complications... and you never think it will happen to someone you know. I birthed three babies and watched Sarah birth her own... I thought you would be fine. But it isn't your fault dear. Things like this... just happen."

Fran moved her left hand and placed it on Penelope's shoulder.  
"I'm sorry I wasn't there. If I knew the plane would have been delayed for so long I would've just driven here. I heard J.J. did a great job filling in for me. She said you were so strong in there."

Biting her lip Fran held back her fears. "You know, when they told me Derek had... died... my heart shattered. I never thought he would... I mean, we both knew how rash my son was... but I foolishly thought he would always come home. Anyways," She gave the shoulder a squeeze. "then you called and said you were pregnant. It filled me with hope knowing that Derek left something of himself behind, you know?"

Using her spare hand, Fran pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down. "Out of all the women my son had... relations with, you were the one I always hoped you would be the one to carry his child. Every time he talked about you, I could tell that he had a very deep connection with you. You know... his father and I were a lot like you two. Always together but refusing to take the risk of getting into a romantic relationship with each other. Seems to be a trait in our family, huh?

Penelope, I don't know how you did it but you and Derek gave me two perfect grandbabies and I can already tell that your boy will be a perfect play mate to Walter. Speaking of which Des and Sarah are flying in first thing in the morning to see you and the babies. So you better be awake by the time they come."

/

David made sure he would be the last one to come into the room for the first round of visits. He wanted to make sure he had his time without being interrupted.

Walking over he sat down and took her hand in his. "Hey Kitten. Spencer told me how strong you where in the delivery room. You did such a good job, I'm very proud of you.

Penelope, you should see your babies. The little girl has skin only a couple shades darker than yours and from the looks of it she will have Derek's black hair. I tell you, Aaron, Spencer, and I, will have our work cut out for us when she becomes a teenager. Those boys will be falling over each other to get to her. And your son, he is the spitting image of Derek. Except for his eyes. Those are yours. He's going to be a great man one day.  
They are both amazing, and so very perfect. You should see them."

Using his spare hand he stroked her hair.

"You know, you had me so worried. For a while I thought we were going to lose you. But I know you, you my Kitten are a fighter. And I know you are going to pull through."

/

After David had to leave, the room stood quiet, the only sounds being the foot steps of her family and the nurses, and the creaking of the chair as they took shifts watching her. Everyone had confessed their feelings and hopes, there was nothing left to say or do except wait.

At around 6am Aaron walked in for his turn. Going past Penelope he went to the window and leaned against the edge, and looked out to the sunshine that was breaking over the mountains.

"Good morning, Penelope. I have some good news for you, the doctor says that your babies are being moved from the ICU and into the nursery. So, when you wake up you'll be able to see them right away."

He went towards the bed and moved his eyes up and down Penelope's body. "You made it through the night. The doctor says that is a very good sign." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Listen, you have to make it through this... I... the team, Derek's family, can not stand to lose you. We need you, I need you. Your quirky comments, your colourful personality, and your zest for life is sometimes the only thing that keeps everyone sane.  
Through all the blood and gore we see on a daily basis... you are our sunshine."

His eyes flashed to her's when he felt her squeeze his hand. Slowly her eyes fluttered open.

"Derek?"

He breathed in sharply. " No, it is just me Penelope. Aaron."  
Picking up her glasses, he gently placed them on her face.

"There, now you are not too blind."

"I feel so weak..."

"That is because you lost a lot of blood, but you are going to be alright."

Penelope groaned as she tried to move. "My babies..."

"They are alright too." Aaron's voice broke with emotion. "Just waiting to meet their mother. Penelope, I need to go and get the doctor, I'll be right back."

She grasped tightly onto his hand. "Don't leave, please? Stay..."

He knew that he should have gone to the doctor, but seeing Penelope laying there, her eyes begging him, he caved and sat down, and waited for the next person to come in. Closing his eyes he sent a silent prayer of thanks.

"You know, you scared us pretty bad yesterday."

Penelope looked away and stared up at the ceiling. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about. Now if you died... then we would have something to be sorry for."

Her eyes lit up as Aaron cracked a smile. "Hey... did you just smile?"

"Yeah, I guess I did. Everyone will be very happy to hear that you woke up. The nurse said that if you made it through the night then you would be alright." He glanced at the tubes and the blood bag that was hanging on the IV pole. "I knew you would pull through. You're a tough girl Penelope."

She closed her eyes, about to let sleep take her once again, but a thought crossed her mind. "Do you know when I can see my babies?"

"They will be moving you from the ICU this morning and after that the doctor will let you see them."  
They are very beautiful." His hard features melted a little, showing the tender side of him. "Your girl is.. beautiful and your son looks exactly like Derek, aside from his eyes. They are both the perfect mix of you two."

/

Later that morning Penelope was moved from the ICU into another room a few floors up. Her hair had been brushed and cleaned, and the only things in her arm were a blood back and an IV.

The small room had filled up quickly with Penelope's family. All eagerly waiting for mother and children to meet each other.

Soon a couple nurses brought them in. One wrapped in blue, the other in pink. Penelope gasped when she saw them. Two perfect babies. Just like everyone had told her.

She took the little girl in her arms and looked at her. "Aww, look guys. She has Derek's nose."

J.J. took the boy from the nurse and smiled at the sight of Penelope holding her daughter. "And she almost has your skin colour."

Spencer gently stroked the small tufts of black hair on the Girl's head "It looks like the only genetic material Derek contributed to her is the hair and eyes."

David put a hand on Penelope's shoulder and beamed. "So Kitten, what are you going to name her?"

Penelope stroked her daughter's face for a moment, thinking. She had a million names in her head. Eventually she settled on a name that she had always loved. "Grace Isabella Morgan."

The entire room grinned from eat to ear. "That is a beautiful name Penelope. But let's hope she doesn't end up being a klutz like her mom." Aaron said, taking the pink bundle out of Penelope's arms.

"Here's your son." J.J. gently handed the blue bundle to Penelope.

Pulling back the blanket she gasped.  
Aaron did not kid, he really did look like Derek.

"My baby boy... I have the perfect name for you if you daddy's family likes it." She glanced up at Fran and her daughters, and smiled. "If it is alright with you ladies I want to call him Richard after Derek's father."  
The three ladies nodded their heads in approval. "Richard Derek Morgan it is."

/

While Penelope, and the ladies examined her son, Spencer, David, Will, and Aaron crowded around Grace.

"She is beautiful. Just like her mother and grandma." David said as he pulled the blanket back a little more.

"It's going to be hard when she starts dating..." Spencer touched her cheek and grinned as she yawned. "Derek would hate the idea of a boy laying his hands on her..."

"Well," A cheeky smile spread across Aaron's face. "that just means that we will have to prevent her from dating. Here that Gracie, no dating. Ever."

"Or at least no dating until you are 30 my little bambino."

Spencer looked up at the three other men. "And when you do, one of us needs to come with to make sure there is no hanky panky going on, isn't that right Gracie?"

Will grinned. "The boys don't stand a chance against us."

Across the room the ladies cooed over Richard.

Emily peered over Penelope's shoulder as Richard nursed. "Oh my goodness P.G., he is so adorable."

"Looks just like Derek when he was borne." Fran sighed at the memory. "But those eyes, they really stand out against his complexion."

"He's gonna be a heartbreaker." Des said. "The ladies are going to have fun with him."

"Des," Sarah playfully poked her sister in the ribs. "for all you know he might be smarter than his dad and not spend his life chasing women. He might settle down with the right one instead of spending about a decade avoiding her."

J.J. crossed her arms and glanced towards Will and Henry. "Thanks to you Penelope I think I'm going to be asking Will if he wants another one."

"Oh really! That would be so awesome. But don't be like me and almost die delivering."

"What was it like?" Alex asked.

Penelope's eyes glazed over. "I saw him... or at least I think I saw him... he told me it was not my time yet... he had me come back. And looking at our babies... if what happened really did happen, I am glad he made me come back to our babies."

Richard detached himself from Penelope's breast and yawned. "Oh, time to burp this guy. Come here buddy so I can burp you. I'm sure your sister is waiting her turn."


	13. Aftermath

_New update! House is warm and now that my fingers can type without getting very cold I was able to tweak this chapter.  
Babies are borne, but how is Penelope adjusting to life as a single mother? Will she survive, or will she end up losing what little sanity she had?_

_As usual, I don't own Criminal Minds. But my wish to has not changed._

It had been only a week since she got home from the hospital and Penelope already felt like she was failing as a mom.  
Ricky cried hours on end without stopping and Grace...if she took her eyes off Grace for one moment she would find someway to get into trouble, even just laying in her crib.

Sitting at her computer she rocked her son in her arms. "Shh... It's ok Richard. Momma's here so you can stop crying. Please? Just for a minute?"  
Glancing over she saw her phone light up with a call from J.J. Quickly she stuck a soother into Ricky's mouth and hoped it would quiet him for a few moments. "What's up?"

"_What? No snappy remark?"_

"J.J., it is hard to give sass when you have a baby attached to your hip that refuses to stop crying. Seriously, doesn't this kid need to sleep sometime?"

"_Where's Fran? Isn't she supposed to be there helping you?"_

"She went to the store for some groceries... so until she gets back I am on my own. But dear, I think you called me for more than just some idle chit chat."

"_Yes. Could you please do another background check on Tommy Williams? I think he is our UnSub but I want to make sure."_

"You got it chicka. Exhausted momma over and out."

Picking Ricky up, and trying not to rip a stitch, she walked over to the baby swing and put him in. Grabbing his stuffy that Alex got him at the hospital she put it in Ricky's arms. Standing still she saw one of the very rare moments where his eyes drooped.

Backing away slowly she sat back down and began doing the background check while keeping an eye on the babies in their swings. They actually looked adorable when they were not soiling their nappies, spitting up, puking, crying, or causing her grief.

Typing softly she conducted a deeper background check on Tommy. She always hated this the most: checking on children the team thought were UnSubs, what was even worse was when the child did turn out to be the UnSub. Looking over at her babies she wondered how any mother could let their child become a monster.

After half an hour of hacking, digging, and highly illegal activity, she found the connection the team had wanted. Poor Tommy...  
Picking up her earpiece she dialed J.J.

"Hey, found the link you wanted. This kid didn't stand a chance, did he?"

"_No, he didn't. I know... I wish someone got to him before he murdered his sisters but... At least now he will get help. Hotch said that his lawyer could make the case that he is mentally incapable of standing trial. I haven't been this torn about an UnSub since the Jonny McHale case.  
Can you send us the information?"_

"Sure, sending to you all now. Is Reid there?"

"_No. He's off with Rossi. Why?"_

"I don't know J.J., something has been up with our little Doctor... I can feel it. Has he said anything?"

"_No, and I've tried every profiler trick in the book."_

"Darn. Oh, gotta go J.J., Ricky just woke up. Time for another round of crying."

Walking over she picked her son up and since he had woken up Grace as well, Penelope used her spare hand to rock her daughter's swing. She could really use Fran right about now.  
Hearing the door open and shut downstairs she breathed in a sigh of relief and waited for her to come up.

"Hey dear, sorry I took so long. The line up at the market was longer than I thought it was going to be. I see they are awake again?"

"Yeah. I didn't know it would be this hard. I mean J.J.'s son just ate, slept, and soiled his nappies. Ricky will not stop crying and Grace will not stop getting into trouble. And I'm about to cry..."

"Here," Fran walked over and took Ricky out of Penelope's arms so she could pick up Grace. "hey buddy. What's the matter?" She rocked her grandson in her arms. "Have you talked to the doctor?"

"Yes, I called her this morning, she thinks it might be colic. Which, judging by what she said, is going to be so much fun to deal with. I have an appointment next week but I think I might go mad before then.  
Any advice?"

"Sorry dear. All three of my babies were colic free."

"Nertz. I just feel like breaking down. I can't make him stop crying. I must be a terrible mother. My kids are going to end up as UnSubs!" Penelope could feel her resolve breaking down.

Fran held a squirming Ricky close in one arm and put another one around Penelope. "No you are not. Now come sit down on the bed." Penelope followed Fran's lead. "Now, Penelope. You, are not a terrible mother and no, your kids will not become UnSubs.  
You only think this way because things are a little crazy right now and you have a lot of adjusting to do with working at home, the kids, and a social life.  
Hell, when Derek was a baby I thought at times that I was the worst mother in the world because, for the first two weeks, for the life of me I could not get a diaper to fit tight enough. I spent that time covered in pee and poop until one of my friends showed me how to do it properly.  
You are a good mother and you need to keep telling yourself that or else you will drive yourself insane. And believe me when I tell you that you will need all the sanity you can salvage for when these two hit puberty."

Penelope breathed in deep and closed her eyes. "I am a good mother, I am a good mother."

"That's it dear, keep repeating it to yourself. Now, I am just going to take Ricky downstairs, and I'm going to fix you up a nice cup of tea. We'll be right back."

Sniffling Penelope looked down at her daughter who stared back with her big black eyes. "You and your brother are both going to give me grey hair, aren't you? Well, don't worry because I will be taking lots of videos and pictures for when you both start dating."

Seeing her phone ring she hauled herself and Grace up, and went to answer it.

"Hi, this is the office of insanity, how may I direct your call?"

"_Finally_ _some sass! I missed that. Feeling better?"_

"Yes, a little, J.J., Fran talked to me and things seem better. But I am still stressed. Anyways, what do you wish me to do? You must have called me for a reason?"

"_We're coming home, after four long ass days, we are finally coming home."_

"Good, I missed you guys. Do you have any idea what it is like to be stuck at home with two newborns?"

"_Well I know what it is like to be stuck at home with one newborn, will that do?"_

"I guess... Hey, when you guys come back, if it is not too to late, do you want to bring Henry over and we can chat?"

"_Sure. We should be in at 18:00... I'll try to come over around 19:00. Is that alright?"_

/

Penelope sat at the table and sipped her tea. In the corner the babies were sleeping in the swings that Fran and David had moved downstairs. It was quiet and her head was clear enough to think. With Fran asleep and David in his study reading, it was just her and the babies.

Her laptop was out and she had busied herself with doing a bit of self research on colic. There had to be a way to keep Ricky from crying for four hours straight.

According to what so called the experts were saying, the mother's diet may cause colic in infants. Looking at the list she realized one thing that she consumed a lot of... milk. She had an appointment with the doctor on Monday but she might try cutting out dairy until then... maybe it would help.

Hearing a knock she began getting up to answer it but saw David headed to the door. "I got this one Kitten. Just sit and relax."

A few moments later Emily walked in with Andrea, looking over she saw both babies fast asleep. "Hey P.G., I hope you don't mind me joining in. J.J. kinda invited us over too."

"No worries, here, give me Andrea." She took the 10 month old in her arms and cradled her. "There is a pot of tea on the stove if you want some."

"Thanks." Emily gingerly took a cup out of the cupboard and poured her tea into it. Taking a deep breath she savoured the smell of lemon mixed in with cinnamon and citrus. "This is the stuff I brought back, isn't it?" She sat down beside Penelope and took Andrea back.

"Yes, it's great after a hard day."

"So, J.J. was telling me that Ricky may have colic?" Emily held the cup in her hand, waiting for it to cool.

"It is a strong possibility." Penelope sighed. "Most of the time he cries non stop and it drives me insane. And Em, I don't know what to do."

"I know, it is rough. Andrea had a bad case of it, she nearly drove me mad. Luckily I finally met a doctor that came up with a solution that worked. You know what I did? I stopped eating Thai food. Have you noticed him being a little more fussy after you've eaten something specific?"

"Dairy. You know, it's funny Em, I was just reading that when you came in."

"Hey ladies, I hope I'm not interrupting." J.J. walked in with Henry's hand in hers. "Don't worry, I've already told him he has to be quiet or else he will not see the babies again for a very long time."

"Henry, come here and give your fairy godmother a kiss." Penelope leaned down as far as her stitches would let her and smiled as Henry gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You are growing up way to fast little guy."

"Can I see the babies? Momma said I could see them if I was real quiet."

Glancing over she saw that while Richard was still sleeping, Grace had begun to wake up. "You can see Grace, but Ricky is still napping so you will have to wait to see him." Getting up she walked Henry over to Grace. Taking her daughter out of her swing she knelt down and tried to ignore the pain from the stitches on her belly.

Henry slowly reached out a hand and touched Grace's cheek. "She is so tiny, and so soft. How did you get her out?"

"I pushed her out, with your mom and Uncle Spencer's help." Penelope hoped that would satisfy Henry's curiosity.

He looked like he was about to ask something else, but stopped when Grace reached out and grabbed his finger. "She's pretty."

"I know. And I think she likes you Henry. Tell you what, when she is old enough you can help me take her and Ricky to the park."

The boy's face lit up and he had to work to stay calm enough not to squeal in joy. He ran back to his mom and hugged her. "Did you hear that mom? I will get to play with Grace And Ricky when they gets big enough."

"I heard buddy. Soon you, Grace, Ricky, and Andrea can all play together."

"And with Jack?"

"Jack might be too old to play with the four of you then, but if he wants to you can play with him too."

Penelope heard Ricky stirring behind her. She gave J.J. a pleading look. "Can you please take Grace while I deal with Ricky?"

"Sure." She put Henry back down and took Grace in her arms.

"Hey ladies, am I correct in hearing that my grandson is awake?"

"Yes, and he will want his supper. So unless you want a free show David, you better be going back into your study."

"Can I at least take Gracie while you feed Ricky?" David asked. He wanted to spend time with at least one of his grandchildren before heading off to bed.

"Sure," She had yet to get tired of David's enthusiasm over the babies. "just don't get her too wound up for me this time."

"I'll try." David took Grace from J.J., lifted up Grace's shirt, and blew raspberries on it. "But I won't give any promises. Now if you excuse us Grace and I have some bonding time to get to."

Penelope sat down and began to undo her nursing bra. Lifting her shirt up she brought Ricky to her breast and he latched on.

"One good thing about this little guy is, aside from looking like his daddy and being so darn cute, is that he loves to eat."

J.J. leaned her elbows on the table and looked at Penelope feeding Ricky. "You know, Will and I are trying for another baby."

"Really?" Emily gasped. "That is totally awesome. Will and you really do make cute babies, plus I think Henry would love a sibling." She glanced over at Henry who was entranced by Andrea. "Hey little guy, what would you say to a baby brother or sister?"

Henry's eyes lit up. "I would love one. But I want a brother more. He could play GI Joe with me an I could teach him stuff."

"J.J., you've been talking about this for months... it is about time." Penelope adjusted Ricky to make it more comfortable for them. "And you know what J.J.? Aside from the running around with a gun and media bits, I could totally fill in for you when you are on maternity leave."

She leaned back. "So, the general census is that I should have another baby." J.J. smiled and nodded. "Good thing we have already started."

"So that means I get a baby brother or sister?!"

"Yes it does. Your mommy and daddy just need to make one for you." She picked her son up and squished him into a hug. "You're going to be a big brother."

"Yay! Did you hear that Auntie Emily, Auntie Penelope? I'm gonna be a big brother!" He snuggled into his mom and yawned. "I'm sleepy now..."

Emily looked at the clock on the wall. "It is getting late. Sorry Penelope but I think Andrea and I need to head out."

J.J. stifled a yawn herself. "I think we're going to be calling it a night too. It was wonderful to see you and the babies. They are adorable."

"Thanks girls." Ricky stopped sucking and stretched, Penelope laid him on her shoulder and began patting his back. "I think this boy needs a change and then it is bedtime for him too."

J.J. grabbed Henry's hand and walked towards the door. "I'll see you on Sunday for our girl's day."

Penelope got up and followed them. "Sure. Can we have it here though? Between the stitches and the babies I don't think we will be in that much fun going out somewhere."

"Sure." J.J. gave Penelope a hug, she was cautious and made she didn't squish Ricky. "We'll just bring the food to you. Just name the place, what you want, and we will bring everything."

"Thanks. Hey, did you ever get a chance to corner Spencer and talk to him?"

"Not really, but I did overhear him talking to someone named Anna over the phone, he said he would drop by _her_ place tonight."

"Really?" Penelope's mouth opened in a silent squeal of joy. "Oh, we are so going to have to drag this out of him."

"Actually, I think we should let him take his time. When I came back you all were telling me how broken up he was about Maeve... let's not do anything rash and push him away." Emily leaned down to strap Andrea into her car seat."

Penelope pouted. "Why do you have to be so logical?"

Their raven haired friend just shrugged. "Because one of us has to be."

"Anyways... Henry, give your Auntie Penelope and Auntie Emily hugs and kisses before we go. It's getting late and your dad will be mad if you aren't in bed soon." J.J. let go of Henry's hand and watched him with joy as he said good-bye to his Aunties.  
Seeing him made her want another child even more. He needed a younger sibling to look after.

/

3am, in the nursery she laid a crying Ricky down in his crib. "Baby boy, I need you to go to sleep. Please? Your sister will be in here soon and I know your sister sleeps like a log but if you cry all night you will eventually wake her up. You don't want that now, do you?" Trying to ignore his wailing she left the room to get his sister.

Penelope walked into David's upstairs study and grinned when she saw him passed out on his couch with Grace held tight in his arms. Bending down she gently released her daughter from his arms. Taking a blanket off the edge of the couch she used her spare hand to drape it over David. Leaning down she kissed his forehead.

In the nursery she forced herself to wake up Grace so she could feed her. After her daughter had taken her fill and had been burped, Penelope gently changed Grace into a new diaper and the Baby Girl onesie.  
It amazed her how deeply her daughter slept. Once asleep nothing could wake her aside from her brother. And even then, sometimes she could sleep through that.  
As soon as she had been placed in the crib Grace fell back asleep. It had been good timing. Ricky was about to go into one of his crying fits, again.

Quickly she picked him up; once in her own room she began rocking him in her arms in an effort to calm him down so she could get some sleep.

"Shh... it's ok Ricky. Momma's here. Shh... you're gonna wake up the entire house. That isn't very nice you know. And you are keeping your frazzled mommy awake. And mommy needs her sleep. Shh... do you want me to read you daddy's story? That sometimes helps, right?"

Taking the book off her dresser she opened it up to the first page.

"The first day,  
your Daddy looked your Momma's way.  
He saw her there,  
with her pretty blonde hair.

Wanting to know her,  
he asked the deceiver.  
Uncle Spencer said Gomez be her name,  
Daddy called her it in vain.

He wanted her to be prompt,  
but from her got no response.  
So another name he did call,  
to make her notice him above all.

Baby Girl rang across the room,  
and the name thus made your Momma swoon.  
From that day, their hearts did not stray.  
From that day,  
you began to come Momma's way."

Ending the first page she closed the book. His crying had finally stopped and he had drifted off to sleep. Thankfully this had not been one of his 3hr episodes. Slowly getting up she made her way over to the nursery. Glancing into Grace's crib she saw her daughter had gone back to sleep. She gently placed Ricky in his crib and tip toed out.

Penelope slipped into her bed and once her head hit the pillow, she was out.

/

"_Derek!" She ran though the woods, her shoes long abandoned she ran barefoot through the forest duff._

_Her lungs screamed for air but she had to keep going. She had to get to him. She had to save him._

_Before her, only a few yards away, he stood in a baron field. Caked dirt and sharp rocks laid between her and Derek._

_Her toes touched the scorched earth, the searing pain made her yelp but she had to keep going. She was almost there. He needed her. He needed her to save him._

"_Derek! I'm coming! Just hold on!"_

_Almost... she could almost touch him._

_As she reached out her hand passed right through him and he vanished._

_Her feet still, she looked around frantically for him. He was just there. He could not have gone far. "Derek? Derek!"_

_The only answer to her cries were the sound of rain hitting the scorched earth._

_Looking up she realized that it was not rain falling... but blood. Penelope knew she should be scared... but she wasn't.  
As the hot sticky liquid hit the caked dirt, grass immediately sprung from the ground. Soon the field in which she stood was covered in lush grass and from the green folds violate tulips swayed with the wind._

_Off in the distance she could see two children playing. Their cries of joy echoed against the forest that boarded the edges of the meadow._

"_You are doing a good job Baby Girl."_

_Penelope looked to her side to see Derek. "It doesn't feel like it. Once Ricky starts crying... I can't seem to make him stop, and I can't keep Grace out of trouble..."_

"_Baby Girl, you may not see it, but you are doing a great job."_

_Sighing she turned her eyes back onto the children. "So this is how it is going to be huh? I'm only going to be able to see you in my dreams..."_

_Penelope felt Derek's thumb on her cheek, turning her to face him again._

"_Not true, you see me every time you look at our babies. And you know that I have never left you."_

"_What does this all mean?" She asked._

_He looked at her with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean?"_

"_This dream... I've had it so many times... but the ending this time... is different..."_

_Derek wrapped an arm around her. "It means that you have accepted that from death springs life. The life we would have had together has ended but your life with our children has begun."_

_Her breath caught in her throat when he looked at her. Opening her mouth she began to say something. But, suddenly she was pulled from her dreams by Grace and Richard crying._


	14. One Year

_Happy first birthday Andrea!  
Alright: __a nomalymona__ I have nothing against Derek, he is a wonderful character but the idea for this story popped into my head and refused to leave my poor mind alone. :)  
In this chapter we finally get to meet Spencer's new mystery girl._

_Enjoy and as always I don't own Criminal Minds._

Aaron and Jack walked through the French doors. For once J.J. and Will had beaten them to being the earliest arrival. J.J. had helped put up the final decorations for Andrea's first birthday and Will had fired up David's barbeque.

He released his son's hand and looked down. "Jack, why don't you go and play with Henry?"

"Sure Dad. But when can I eat cake?"

"In a little while, First Auntie Emily and cousin Andrea need to get here. Now go and have fun buddy."

"Hey Aaron, when you were not the first to show I began to get worried." David came over and hugged Aaron with his spare arm.  
Seeing his uncle, Ricky squirmed in David's other arm.

"Do you mind if I hold him?"

"Not at all. In fact, I need to go check with Penelope to see if everything is ready. She's running this entire show you know."

A smile cracked across Aaron's face. "I don't doubt it. Now, hand him over." He scooped Ricky up into his arms. "Hey little buddy. You mommy has been telling me that your crying has stopped. It is a good thing. I think she was about to go insane... well more insane."

/

Inside Alex and Penelope busied themselves with the last minute decorating of the cake.

"Alex, can you grab me the canister with the silver candy balls?"

"Sure." She opened the drawer of baking supplies and tossed Penelope the cylinder. "You're going to give the poor children sugar highs."

Penelope grinned. "I know. But whats the point of a birthday party without a nice sugar filled cake. Here, do you want to lick the spatula? I'm done with it."

Alex smiled. "Of course. Can't let this go to waste. So, when is the birthday girl going to arrive?"

"Soon." Penelope began placing the balls around the pink lettering. "Em called David about an hour ago and told him they were running a bit behind. But, since we are not done the cake yet... it is a good thing.

"Hey Kitten, how are you ladies doing in here?"

"Fine David, we are just putting the final touches on the cake." Penelope began putting white icing around the edges of the sea green fondant. "Come take a look."

Peering over he grinned. "Lots of sugar there."

Alex leaned against the counter. "That is what I told her."

"Looking good so far. Anyways, I am going to kidnap my granddaughter, if you don't mind."

"Not at all David, but her and Ricky will want to be fed soon so keep an eye on them."

"No problem Kitten." He made his way over to the swing and lifted Grace out. "Come to Nonno, Gracie. I'm going to take you outside for some nice fresh air and get you away from these crazy ladies."  
He was about to open the patio door went he front doorbell rang. "That is, right after we get the door."

/

"Hey! It's the birthday girl and her momma." David leaned forward and greeted Emily with a kiss on each cheek. "Come on in you two, Penelope and Alex are almost done with the cake. And we have Will in the backyard grilling up some hot dogs and burgers."

"Sounds like you guys went all out for this one." Emily put her diaper bag down and followed David.

"Oh, you have no idea. Penelope had been going crazy with this party. You would think it was the twins having their birthday..."

On their way they passed by the kitchen. Quickly Penelope dashed in front of the cake to block it from Emily's view. "Keep going Em. You two are not seeing this until we are finished."

"Alright, but can I at least have a bit of that icing left over in the bowl?" Penelope nodded and Emily dipped her finger in. Andrea squirmed in an effort to get some herself but Emily held her as far away as possible. "Soon enough hun. Momma needs a little sugar high though after dealing with you today, you little trouble maker." She kissed her daughter's cheek and brushed her hair aside.  
"So, whose all here?"

Penelope put down the icing bag and reached for a bag of edible sparkles. "J.J., Will, Henry, Jack, Aaron, David, Erin, Alex, Me, the babies, you, and Andrea."

"No Spencer?"

"He'll be coming soon. He called me this morning and told me he would be late... apparently he is bringing a girl, but shh... no one aside from the people in this room know. So hush hush, and that means you too David."

David brought his fingers up to his mouth and pretended to zip it shut. "No worries, now Emily, come and see what Penelope did to my backyard."

/

Stepping outside Emily gasped. The entire fence had been decorated with sea green balloons and white streamers. And across the archway in the garden a banner hung saying" Happy First Birthday Andrea Prentiss!"

"Oh my god..." Grinning she covered her mouth with her spare hand. "this is amazing David. Wow..."

"Hey, Emily, do you two want a hot dog? I have a few that are almost ready."

"Sure Will. Thanks... you guys are amazing... It... it is too much."

"Naw, nothing is too much for one of the team." Winking Will picked up a bun and put a steaming hot dog in it. "Now here, you two go sit down and eat up."

/

Outside on David's doorstep Anna clung onto Spencer's hand. "What if they don't like me..."

"They will love you Anna." He played with a strand of bright red hair before tucking it behind her ear. "What is not to love about you?"

"I'm soo... awkward. And I don't know anyone here but you..."

"Anna," He looked deep into her emerald eyes. "this is a group of very odd people, you will fit in, don't worry."

She laughed and playfully smacked his chest. "Did you just insinuate that I am odd?"

"Yes, you are. Before you hit me again let me justify that. If you were normal you wouldn't be you... and you wouldn't be the girl I fell head over heals for. I like odd things. And I love you.  
And if anything, I'm the one who should be worried because these people have compiled over nine years of embarrassing stories about me!"

"Spencer, you are insufferable sometimes."

Leaning down he placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Are you ready?"

Anna breathed in deeply and prepared herself for the onslaught. "Sure. Let's get this over with."

Smiling, Spencer rang the doorbell. After six months he couldn't wait for his family to meet Anna... they were going to love her, he just knew it.

As soon as it opened David greeted him and turned to Anna.  
"You must be Anna. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm David."

Anna pushed her glasses up. "Likewise David. Spencer has told me a lot about you."

"Hopefully he left out the less savoury bits. Now, come in you two, we got a party in the backyard and Anna, I know everyone is dying to meet the woman who stole Spencer's heart."

/

Penelope smiled when she saw her friend walking through the French doors hand in hand with a pretty red head. From first impressions she appeared to be worthy of her Spencer.

She elbowed J.J.  
"He's here."

J.J. looked over and examined Spencer's date. "Wow, she is cute."

"Let's go introduce ourselves." Penelope linked her spare arm with J.J.'s and pulled her friend along.  
"Hi, you must be Anna Barnes?"

"Yes, and you are..."

"I'm Penelope Garcia and this my son Ricky Morgan. So, you're the mystery woman our Spencer has been dating. You've done quite a number on our doctor Anna. And by that, I mean you've made him happier and less... robotic."

Anna blushed. "Umm.. thanks." She turned her eyes over to J.J. "And I don't believe we've met Miss..."

"Jennifer Jareau. But please call me J.J." She extend her hand to the younger woman. "And over there manning the barbeque is my husband Will, and the blonde boy over by the swings is our son Henry."

"You have a very nice family... J.J." Looking over Anna smiled. "Your son is adorable. Oh, and so is yours Penelope. I'm sorry... I'm not apt at dealing with people."

"Don't worry Anna, we may seem like a pack of wolves at first but in reality we are a pack of misfits." She drew the woman into a hug, shocking Anna. "If anything, we are happy that our Spencer is dating someone like you. You seem like a really sweet person."

Spencer beamed. "She is, she works at the museum in the archives.. And she loves Star Trek and Dr. Who."

"Spence, she can talk for herself." J.J. looked over to see Grace in her swing, trying to reach for a streamer that had blown her way. "Uhh... Penelope, Grace is at it again..."

"What the bloody hell is she doing now. Here Spencer, take Ricky, I need to go deal with my delinquent daughter." Quickly she placed Ricky in Spencer's arms and rushed off to grab Grace before she pulled the whole string of decorations down.

"Hey there little guy." Spencer cooed. "You need to have a talk with your sister and make her see that she has to give your poor mommy a break every now and then."

Anna looked at Spencer and smiled.

The action did not pass J.J. by without her noticing it. "If you are thinking he would be a good dad, let me just say he is excellent with Henry."

"I have to be when you leave him with me all night. Anna, do you want something to eat? It looks like Will has another batch of hot dogs ready to eat."

Anna nodded. "Sure, thanks Spencer."

"Do you want me to take Ricky?" J.J. asked. "It will be hard balancing two plates and this little guy."

"Yeah, thanks. Here Ricky, go see your Auntie J.J., I'll see you later ok?" He gently squeezed Ricky's nose, making the boy laugh. Kissing him on the cheek he handed the boy to J.J.

Ann watched him leave. "You were right, he is good with kids..."

"Listen, Anna." J.J. adjusted Ricky in her arms. "We may seem intimidating but we are all really glad to meet you. You make Spencer happy and after everything... he needs someone to make him happy."

"Thank you J.J... Spencer is a really sweet guy."

"I know. Now, come on. While Spence is getting the food I will introduce you to the rest of our clan."

/

A couple hours later the party crowded around the huge cake Penelope and Alex had made. The number one shaped cake looked beautiful with the sea green fondant that was lined with white butter cream icing. In the center was "Happy Birthday Andrea!" in white icing lined with silver candy balls. It looked like a child's best dream and a parent's worst nightmare.

"Now Andrea, you have to have to blow out that big candle there while making a wish, can you do it? I think you can." Emily bent over to make it easier for her daughter to blow out the candle. "On the count of three. One. Two. Three!"  
With a gust of air from her lungs and a little help from her mom, Andre put out the candle with one breath. Squealing she clapped her hands together in joy before smashing her hand into a corner.

"Well, we know which piece will be hers." Will said before slicing through the cake. Flipping the corner piece onto a paper plate he handed it to Emily. "Here you go. It's all ready for her to go to town on."

"Thanks Will." Emily looked at Andrea and sighed. "I can't believe she is a year old..."

"Just wait Emily." Aaron took the next slice and handed it to Jack. "Time will only speed up from here. Before you know it she will be off to college"

"I don't even want to think of that..." Emily put her daughter into the high chair and gave her the piece of cake. "She is going to stay little forever. Aren't you?"

Andrea responded by smashing her hand into her slice of cake, and then smearing the green and brown mess all over her face. Emily began laughing, getting her camera out she snapped a shot of her daughter.

Grinning, Aaron remembered when Jack turned a year old. Looking down at his boy he admired the young man Jack was growing into... Haley would have been so very proud of their son.

Penelope's eyes glazed as she looked over as she watched Emily and her daughter. Her mind traveled to it's secret place for a moment. Derek would have loved to have seen this. He knew that Em would be a good mother... even if the last time they were together their friend had expressed fear and doubt about her mothering abilities.  
The same fears and doubts haunted Penelope through her own pregnancy and still lingered on the minds of both women.

The voice of her BFF finally broke Penelope from her thoughts.

"Guys, I think the party just ended." J.J. motioned over to Aaron who was talking on his cell, she put down her camera she began picking up the paper plates.

Emily sighed. "Really? They couldn't hold off for one day?!"

Penelope inhaled the last bit of her cake. "I'll start cleaning up, J.J." She took the plates from her friend.

Aaron hung up his phone. Leaning against the fence he massaged the bridge of his nose. He never liked being the one to break up a party for a case, especially an important one like this.

Walking over he saw that everyone had begun to get ready to leave. "Team, we have a case, but it looks like you already know."

J.J. looked over while getting Henry ready to go. "After all these years, we know that look. What time do you want us on the plane?"

"Aaron, you know I can get Team B to cover this one if you want?" Erin offered. Having children of her own... she understood what an important day this was for the team, and for Emily.

"It won't do any good Erin, the director is asking for our team personally. It's the cross we bear for being good at what we do. J.J., we need to be on the jet in 45 minutes. To save time we'll go over the case on the way to Huston, Texas.  
Jack, come on, we need to go to your Aunt Jessica's. You're going to be sleeping over there for a few days."

"Shit... my sitter is out of town..." Emily looked at her cake covered daughter. "P.G., I know this is a lot to ask... but can you look after Andrea until we get back?"

Penelope covered the remains of the uneaten cake. "Sure, just drop off an overnight bag for her on your way to the plane. Now go guys, I'll handle this."

/

Spencer hugged Anna. "I'm sorry but I have to go... do you need a ride home?"

Anna stood on her toes and kissed Spencer. "Nah, I'm going to stay here and help Penelope clean up... go and remember the rule."

"I will." Looking into her eyes he smiled. "I love you Anna."

"I love you too Spencer... now go."

/

Soon the backyard had cleared out and the only people remaining were Penelope, a cake covered Anna who was still busy smashing her slice, and the babies.

"Thanks for helping, you really didn't have to though..." Penelope began ripping the streamers off the fence.

"I wanted to... leaving you alone with three kids just seemed... cruel."

"I've done this before and back when Ricky had colic it was indeed beyond cruel." She tossed the white paper into the bin and reached for another strand. "But now that he is over it... taking care of these three isn't so bad." Turning she smiled at Anna. "But that doesn't mean I don't like the help."

After the backyard had more or less been reverted back to it's pre-party condition Penelope and Anna were in the downstairs bathroom. Now that the backyard had been cleaned, the time had come to clean the birthday girl.

"Anna, can you pass me the baby shampoo on the counter there?"

"Here." She reached over and grabbed the blue bottle. "I never knew cake could be so hard to remove."

Penelope squeezed a blob onto her hand and worked it into Andrea's hair. "When you spend a lot of time with kids you learn a lot of things." Taking a washcloth she wiped away the last bit of green fondant from Andrea's cheek. "There, I think we are all done here little girl.  
Anna, can you get me the pink towel?"

Before Penelope had a chance to take the toddler out, Andrea slammed her hands into the water and splashed Penelope and Anna, soaking both of them. "Good one kiddo. Did you think that we needed a bath too? Come here before you cause any more havoc." She grabbed the child and placed her into the waiting towel.  
"Sorry Anna."

"No worries Penelope. It was... refreshing."

Sitting Andrea on the counter Penelope took the comb and neatly brushed the girl's raven hair. "There, now all we need to do is get you dressed in your jammies and then you can take a nap with Ricky and Grace. That sounds good, doesn't it.  
Anna, can you get me her jammies? They should be in the nursery in her overnight bag. It'll be easier to dress her in here than in the nursery."

"Sure, I'll be right back." She quickly went into the nursery. Tiptoeing in she grabbed the bag. On her way out she stole a glance at the infants sleeping in the cribs. They looked so... adorable, sweet, and innocent. For a moment she wondered what it would be like to have children with Spencer...

Snapping back to reality she quietly walked out with the bag.

/

After Andrea had been dressed and put down for a nap, Penelope and Anna took the chance to relax and talk.

"Thanks for your help in there Anna. Without you it would have taken me twice as long, wouldn't have been nearly as fun, and knowing my luck one of my babies would have woken up." She handed Anna a slice of cake and took a seat in a chair.

"No worries. I confess Penelope, when Spencer and I first arrived, I was terrified. He talked so often about his team, I worried that I wouldn't be good enough."

Penelope took a sip of her ice tea and leaned back. "Hun, like I said before, you make Spencer happy and that makes you good enough in our books. And now that we have had some nice one on one time, well one on one with the babies, I think you are the perfect fit for him. He's lucky to have a sweetheart like you.  
But there is one thing I am dying to know, how did you and my little genius meet?"

Anna took another bite of her slice of cake and quickly swallowed. "Well, several months ago I was at the ComiCon at the Plaza waiting in line to talk to Will Wheaton. Bored, I began looking around at the different costumes and that is when this man, who was wearing the most adorable Dr. Who scarf, looked my way.  
Once our eyes met I forgot all about Wheaton. We walked over to each other and just stood there, looking at each other.  
Before I had gotten up the courage to compliment him on his scarf... he asked me out for a cup of zombie juice.  
And..." She nervously rubber her thighs. "from there things just... happened. We met for coffee Sunday mornings when he was in town and would talk. And sometimes we would exchange books that we had. I think he's exhausted my collection of Russian litterateur.  
Oh Penelope, he is so smart and quirky, and he is sweet and nice. His awkwardness on our dates makes my heart melt"

Her smile exploded into a toothy grin. "And he likes my glasses... no one has liked these coke bottle glasses before..."

Penelope sipped her tea. "He is one of those rare men that cares more about a woman's mind than her looks. If I were you, I would hold onto him. And I'm not just saying this because he is my friend... if you love him make sure you enjoy and cherish every moment you have with one another. I speak from experience...  
Anyways, onto a lighter topic, did he tell you how he held my hand while I was delivering my babies? I almost broke it but he did not utter a single word."

"Smart man. When my mother was in labour with me, my dad asked her if it really was that painful, he ended up with a black eye and six stitches."

Her mouth opened Penelope was cut short of what she wanted to say by the buzzing of her phone. "Duty calls. If any of the babies wakes up just come and get me. I'll be in my office down the hallway. I should be back in half an hour, tops."


	15. One Year Later

_For some reason this chapter was very hard to write which is why it is shorter than the rest...  
If parts don't make sense please tell me so I can fix it. Updates might get slower because I'm at the point where all of my saved chapters have been posted already so I actually have to write new ones. But I will try to keep posting often, if only for you guys ;)  
Anyways, I do not own Criminal Minds._

One year after his death, Derek Morgan's children laid on a blanket by his grave. Their mother leaned against the stone and had closed her eyes while they slept.

Feeling the cold stone against her skin allowed her to release the pain that she had held onto. A lot had happened that year to make her happy: she had brought his children into this world and survived, one of her good friends had come back into her life and had brought an adorable girl that Penelope could spoil, another good friend finally moved past his own broken heart and found a girl to love, and her best friend was expecting her second child.  
But his death had had the biggest impact. No matter how many joyful events had taken place, the pain of losing him would never fully ebb away.

She sighed and allowed her memory relive every moment she had with her love. Every movie night, every dance, every kiss, everything...

Penelope knew that he watched over her. She felt his caress with the winds, heard his voice in the dead of night, and could even smell his scent in the twilight hours of the morning. Most people would tell her she was crazy, that she couldn't feel, hear, or smell, a dead man.  
But she knew they were wrong. The poor souls that said that never knew a love like theirs. Never knew what it was like to be loved by Derek Morgan.

She almost felt sorry for those people. Almost.

The babbling of her daughter brought her back to the present. Opening her eyes she looked to see that both of her babies had woken up from their impromptu nap. Sitting upright she picked Ricky up and began feeding him, while he was eating she used her spare arm to grab a stuffed whale from her bag and handed it to Grace to keep her busy.

"Hey little guy. You know your daddy is watching us right? He's so proud of you two, I can feel it."  
Ricky fixed his eyes on her in response.

"Your Grandma and Aunties will be here soon, and tonight when the rest of your family gets back we are having everyone over for dinner. Including your Uncle Spencer's girlfriend. I know you two like her, don't you?"

As she sat there feeding their children Penelope felt a gentle autumn breeze pass by, the wind caused the sapling to lose another leaf. It blew down and landed in front of Grace.

Losing interest in her stuffy she began picking it apart while her brother was being burped.

"Hi Penelope, David said you would be here."

Looking up she saw Fran, Des, and Sarah standing in front of her. Sarah had her son Charlie on her hip.

"Hi guys. I would get up but... someone wanted their midday lunch." Penelope motioned to Grace who had begun taking her turn.

"No problem dear, do you mind if I hold Ricky?" Fran asked. It had been a couple months since she visited and her grandson had grown, a lot.

"Not at all."

Fran placed her bouquet of red roses next to Penelope's lavender ones, and scooped her grandson into her arms. "Hey there Pumpkin. Are you having a nice time visiting Daddy?"  
Ricky cooed and grabbed his Grandmother's finger in response. "I take it that is a yes little buddy?"

Sarah put her son down and knelt in front of him. "Go say hi to your Uncle Derek, Charlie." She pointed to the gravestone. "You remember him don't you? He was the man who brought you those chocolates you love."

Charlie toddled over to the stone and put a chubby hand on the lettering. He looked back at his mom and smiled a gummy grin before toddling back to her. She picked him up and placed Charlie on her hip again.  
"How are you doing Penelope?"

"Alright. I can't believe it has been a full year..."

"I know, it feels just like it happened yesterday." Des laid a two white roses down and looked down sadly at the stone.

Fran felt her heart breaking as she stood there recalling the memories of her son. From a chubby toddler who looked for trouble to a man who dedicated his life to saving others. "I always thought nothing could feel worse than losing my Richard... but I was wrong. Losing Derek... that was the worst. Despite his job I never thought I would bury my own son..."  
The tears streamed down freely as she fell to her knees, clinging onto Ricky.

Penelope put Grace in the crook of her arm. Shuffling she joined Derek's family and allowed herself to shed more tears.

/

That evening Penelope's family gathered at the Rossi house for dinner. Each of them had paid their respects to the lover, friend, and brother, that had left, and now it was time to come together.

Penelope put Grace in her crib and stepped back. Taking a moment she admired her babies. Each one different, but perfect.  
She couldn't imagine losing either of them... she couldn't imagine how Fran managed to carry on after Derek died. His mother must have pulled on some hidden strength in order to get through it.

Her thoughts broke when she felt David's arm around her.

"Everyone is waiting Kitten."

"I know... I just wanted a moment with my babies. David, I have a new respect for Fran. How she got through this... I do not know. I don't know what I would do if I lost Grace or Richard. It would break my heart." She leaned into his shoulder and cried.

Putting a hand on Penelope's back, David drew her in closer. "No parent should ever have to bury their child... but Fran had to carry on for her daughter's, for you, and for her grandchildren. She's a strong woman, like you are."  
He put his hand on her hair and stroked it. "You made it through this year like a star. Now come on and dry those tears."

/

Downstairs she walked into the dining room to see everyone. David did not kid. Walking around the table she took the a seat next to Spencer and Anna.

"Hey you two."

"Hey Penelope. How are Grace and Ricky?"

"They are good, Spencer." She grabbed a bun and broke it open. "Both asleep for now."

"Damn, I was hoping to see them. After dinner would you mind if Anna and I took a look at them."

Penelope shrugged her shoulders as she poured a glass of water. "As long as you two don't wake them up it is alright by me." She was aware the significance of that seeing the twins today. For the team they had been their last connection to their friend.

"Folks," All eyes turned to David. "we have gathered here to honour a great friend, brother, and son. Derek was an unique man who impacted all our lives for the better. He was brave, loving, and always there for the people who needed him. His body may be lost from us, but his life and his love lives on in all of us. In his mother and sisters, in his adopted family, and in his children. Everyday we wake up, we honour him.  
I invite you all to raise your glasses in a toast to one of the best men I have known, Derek Morgan, cheers."

The sound of glasses clicking filled the silent room. As everybody took a sip they took one happy memory of Derek to cherish. Bowing their heads they relived the precious memory each one had for themselves.

"This is good wine David." Aaron remarked, breaking the stillness.

David took a sip and savoured the flavour. "Thanks, I got it from a relative in Sicily that sent me a dozen of this vintage last year."

Penelope looked on enviously. "You have to save at least one bottle for after I am done breastfeeding..."

"And for when I am done too." Emily said.

Emily grinned and poured herself another glass. "That is one of the things I do not miss about being pregnant."

"Don't worry ladies, I will set aside at least one bottle to share. Now, go ahead and dig in."

Penelope loaded her plate with lasagna and salad. Her mouth was watering as the smell of the pasta drifted up into her nose.

She had her fork up to take a bite when she heard the cries of her babies over the monitor.

"Looks like I am on mom duty again. No one touch my food ok?"

She pushed back her chair and went to the nursery.

On her way into the nursery she passed Cloony and Mudgie who were in their usual spots by the door. Leaning down she gave each a quick pet before going into the nursery.

"Hey you two, what's the matter? Mommy was about to have some of Nonno's delicious lasagna when you two started going off." Leaning over she picked up Ricky. "Oh, now I see, you have a dirty nappy. Here, lets get you changed and then I can deal with your sister."

She had almost finished when Aaron came in.  
"Everything alright in here?"

"Yeah, they just needed a nappy change, that's all. While you're here could you pass me one?"

"Sure." Aaron reached into the diaper bag and pulled out two clean ones. He looked over at Ricky. "He's getting big. Hard to believe they are three months already..."

"I know, time flies, can you throw this dirty one in the trash?" She handed him the soiled one and took the clean nappy.

Aaron held it at arms length while he opened the trash can. "No problem." Walking over he picked up a crying Grace. "Hey there sweetie, do you need a change too. Oh boy, yes you do."

"Hand her over here and take Ricky. If you want, he enjoys being rocked in one of those chairs."

Carefully he placed Grace on the change table and took Ricky from Penelope's arms. "I don't mind rocking with him for a bit." Going over to a chair he sat down and stated rocking it back and forth.  
"You know, I used to do this with Jack when he was little."

"Really?" Penelope grabbed the other nappy. "Thanks for grabbing two btw."

Ricky gave Aaron a big toothless grin. He couldn't help but smile back. "Really. It's hard to believe he'll be turning ten next year."

"I know, it is crazy. It seems just like yesterday Haley brought Jack to the BAU to show him off." She quickly plunked the soiled nappy into the trash and then turned her attention to Grace.  
"Whose a stinky baby? You are!" She lifted up Grace's onesie and blew raspberries on her daughter's stomach before pulling the garment back down and doing it up.

Taking Grace she joined Aaron in the rocker beside him. "Just a warning, I'm going to feed her so if you want to, this will be the time to advert your eyes."

Heeding her advice Aaron kept his eyes fixated on Ricky while Penelope undid her nursing bra.

"Alright, you can look now. She's latched on so there is nothing to see."

"Penelope," Aaron stroked his fingers along Ricky's cheek. "I'm not sure if I told you this, but I am thankful you stayed. I didn't expect you to stick around after Derek..."

"Did you honestly think that he was the only reason I stayed in the BAU?" Penelope couldn't hide her shock.

"No, it's just that after Derek... was killed, you were so... broken. I didn't think you wanted to remain in a place that held so many memories of him."

"Aaron, you know that I could never leave the BAU, or any of you guys. It's the team that kept me from going off the deep end. If I was on my own..." She shook her head and bit her lip. "I don't even want to think how I would have ended up."

"And Penelope. Even though I still wish you would take maternity leave... I'm glad that you have refused so far. Without you on the other end of the phone I doubt we would have solved have the cases we had. Every member of the team is vital to our success and you are no different. Never doubt your importance to the structure of the team... or to any of it's members."

Penelope sniffed back the tears that were forming. "Thank you, Aaron. That really means a lot..." She looked down at Grace. "It is hard to believe it has been a full year... so much has happened." Her eyes moved from Grace to Aaron. "You remember what you said about remembering and not hurting?"

Aaron nodded.

"I think I'm beginning to do that. I mean most times I think of him and it hurts like hell, but there are these rare times where I think of Derek... and I smile. Mostly it is when I am looking at our children. I can't help but smile when I see the beauty we managed to create, and that I managed to bring into the world."  
Grace let go of the nipple and stretched, indicating that she was full. Quickly Penelope pulled down her shirt and began burping her daughter.

"I can burp her while you feed Ricky." Aaron offered. "That way we'll be able to get back to our dinner before it gets too cold."

"Thanks." Penelope transferred Grace and her blanket to Aaron's spare arm while he transferred Ricky into hers. "Come here little guy, I bet you are hungry, aren't you.  
Aaron, advert your eyes again."

He busied himself by examining Grace. "Her skin colour is so light compared to Ricky's, it is amazing."

"I know, according to Spencer she won out in the genetic lottery. With her hair, those eyes, and her completion, I am betting she is going to grow into a real beauty."

Aaron smiled. "Just like her mom."

"Oh Aaron, you flatter me. Seriously, I can't wait to dress her in nice dresses, do her make-up, and style her hair, when she becomes a teenager."

"What if she becomes a tomboy?" Aaron smirked. "Then it will be baggy jeans and messy hair for this little girl."

Penelope threw him a death glare. "Don't even joke about it." Her features softened after a second. "I will love her no matter what she turns out to be... but I would prefer it if she was into all that girly crap."

"Hey guys, are you almost done?" J.J. poked her head in. "The rest of the party is waiting for you."

"Almost. I just need to finish feeding and burping this guy. Could you do us a favour and warm up our plates?"

"Sure." J.J. walked the rest of her body into the room. "They are adorable..."

"Thanks J.J., I do make cute babies, don't I?"

The petite blonde grinned. "Yes, you were right. You and Derek's offspring are indeed genetically perfect."

"They sure are. And I bet your little bundle to come will be just as perfect as Henry is.

/

Later on after everyone had eaten and drank their fill, the guests and hosts relaxed in the living room. The fire was roaring in the large stone fireplace, and David had engaged Aaron in a high stakes crib match.

While everyone's eyes were on the pair, Spencer took Anna's hand and led her to the nursery. "Now, be real quiet because if we wake these two up there will be hell to pay from Penelope. And trust me, you do not want to make her mad."

Anna nodded her head in understanding.

Slowly Spencer opened the door and both of them gently stepped over the dogs. The light from the night lights lit the room enough so the pair could see the babies in their respective cribs.

"They are adorable Spencer." Anna whispered as she looked over the side of Grace's crib. "I can't believe how much they've grown in the past month."

"Well on average breast fed babies grow one to two pounds every month until they reach six months, then the growth rate stabilizes at around one pound." He placed his hand on top of hers and smiled.  
"Ever thought about having one of your own?"

"A little... I never gave it much thought until I met you. There's so much to be scared of when it comes to babies. There are complications during pregnancy. Birth is dangerous, I mean look at Penelope, she almost died."

Spencer cut her off. "Shh..." He pointed to Grace.

"Sorry. As I was saying, there is the worry of if I'll be a good mom, and if I will have what it takes to raise a child... and there is also you. What if you died? I don't think I could raise a child by myself..."

He turned her to face him, placed a finger under her chin, and tilted her face so her eyes met his. "You will have the best medical care there is. You are great around the BAU kids, they all love you so I know that you will be a great mother. And you will not be raising the child alone, even if I do get killed on the job. If something happened... you have the best support network around. And it also helps that I am a little more cautious than Derek was..."

A slight smile spread across her face. "I will think about it. Dr."

"That's better." He leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on her lips before the both of them left to join the rest of the party downstairs.


	16. Chicago Part 1

_Another day, another chapter. Thanks for the reviews, they are much appreciated. Anyways, Penelope is on her way to visit Fran for her birthday... will she be able to handle everything or will she be driven to the point of insanity?  
And as usual, I do not own Criminal Minds. _

Grace and Ricky had just turned six months a week ago and now were on their first flight to Chicago to visit their grandmother for her birthday.  
Penelope had been up in the air for eighteen minutes and neither of the babies had stopped crying since the wheels left the tarmac.  
She had fallen off her whits end about five minutes ago.

She hadn't felt this unsure since Ricky had colic. Crying she tried to sooth Grace while giving the people around her apologetic looks. Sighing she kicked herself for telling David she could handle this on her own. She should have brought him...

Penelope was about to have a full on break down when an older lady took the vacant seat next to her. The person who originally held that seat took off as soon as the fasten seat belt sign had been flicked off.  
"Miss, I am soo sorry. I'm trying... I really am... but they will not stop crying. Oh what the hell did I ever get myself into!"

"Dear, take a deep breath and calm down. Do you have something for these two to suck on?"

"I... I have a couple pacifiers..." Penelope began trying to reach for her bag but with Grace in her arms, struggling, she couldn't reach it.

"Here, let me take her while you get your bag. Don't worry, I'm a mother too, she'll be fine with me. Now hand her over before you completely break down." Reaching over she took the squirming infant and held her tight until Penelope could get the bag out.  
"Give me her pacifier." Taking the pink pacifier the older woman stuck it in Grace's mouth and rubbed the girl's back while she sucked on it.

"Now, pick up your son and do the same to him."

Penelope undid the car seat restraints, picked Ricky up, and stuck the blue pacifier into his mouth. Instantly both infants began to calm down. She looked at the woman in shock. "How..."

"When you fly with babies it is important to have them sucking on something during take off and landing, so their ears can pop. If not these little guys will get a headache. Won't you." She gently stroked Grace's hair.

"Thank you so much Mrs..."

"Call me Wilma. And what is your name dear?"

"Penelope. And this is Ricky and the one you're holding is Grace."

Wilma stared fondly at a sleeping Grace. "I take it these two are the same age?"

"Yes. They are fraternal twins"

"They are both adorable. You and their father must be so proud."

Penelope sighed and glanced out the window.

"Did I say something wrong Penelope?"

"No, you didn't Wilma. It's just that... their father never got to meet them, he died before he even knew I was pregnant..."

Wilma's face softened. "I am so sorry dear. It must have been rough. I remember when my husband was killed in Vietnam, leaving me with our three babies... never thought I could do it but," She carefully reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet and opened it to pictures of her babies. "they all seemed to turn out fine. Artie is an aircraft mechanic, Jackie has two babies and runs her own business, and Robert is in the Peace Corps.

Don't worry, it seems like you are doing a great job with these two."

"Yeah, I think most of the people on this plane will disagree with you." Penelope grumbled.

Wilma grunted in disagreement. "Most of these people probably never travelled alone with two babies. You shouldn't give a fig about what they think, Dear."

"It's hard when you have two screaming babies and when even the flight attendant is giving you dirty looks..."

"Calm down Penelope, deep breaths ok. Like I said, most of these people's opinions are invalid. Now, tell me more about these two adorable bundles you have."

After half an hour Penelope had finally calmed down enough to feed her two babies, it had been good timing. Both where were starting to wake and would want their food.  
Wilma kept holding onto Grace while Penelope began to feed Ricky.

A male passenger looked over as Penelope lifted up her shirt. He opened his mouth to say something but Wilma shot him a dirty look. "Don't you utter a single word mister."

"Thanks, I hate it when people look." Ricky latched onto her nipple as soon as he had the chance and began eagerly sucking.

"That's what those things are there for. If we have to break our backs carrying our breasts around we should use them for what they're intended for, right? Besides, the magazine he is reading is far more scandalous than what you are doing."

Penelope looked over at her, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "That you soo much Wilma. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't show up... I think they might have kicked off the plane in mid air..."

"Hun, when the military flew my husband's body back, my kids and I flew over to Washington to greet him... my youngest was about your babies' age and I had never flown before. I spent three hours on a flight with a screaming baby, a fussy toddler, and a five year old who had a breakdown. No one bothered to help me at all.  
After that, I vowed never to leave someone like me in that position, ever. Just do me a favour, if you ever see a person in your situation, take a moment to help her."

"Of course." Ricky let go and stretched out as he yawned. "I think this little guy is done."

"Here, let me take and burp him while you feed Grace."

Before she handed over Ricky, Penelope pulled out a blanket. "Here, he tends to spit up." She handed over the blanket and her son while taking her daughter.

She brought Grace up to her other breast and grinned as her daughter began eating.

For the rest of the flight Penelope and Wilma exchanged stories of parenthood, and Wilma gave advice that she acquired during her years as a parent. By the end of the flight they had exchange email addresses.

Once the plane landed Wilma stayed with Penelope until everyone else had gotten off and helped her get her bags. "If you want I will carry Ricky while we walk to the terminal?"

Penelope strapped Grace into the car seat and stood up. "You don't have to. You've saved my butt so many times already."

"It would be my pleasure dear. Now, come on, their Grandma will be wondering what happened to you three."

At the gate Fran, Des, Sarah, and Sarah, greeted the four people ecclesiastically.

"Hi Fran. I would like you to meet Wilma, she saved me from going mad on the plane."

"We already know each other dear, Wilma and I worked at the same hospital for ten years." Fran hugged her friend. "It has been so long Wilma, how are you?"

"Good Fran, I take it these are Derek's offspring?"

"Yes, here, let me take my Grandson." Fran lifted Ricky into her arms.

"That explains it, I thought this boy looked just like him. I am sorry, Penelope told me what happened to him..."

"Thanks, it's been rough but we are getting by. How have you been?"

"Good, I retired last year. It got to the point where I had enough of nursing and just wanted to relax. Jackie just had a little girl, Robert got stationed in the Congo last month, and Artie got a contract to work on the new Dash-8's coming out of Quebec."

Wilma checked her watch. "I should be going Fran, my mother is expecting me at the nursing home soon."

"Wilma, how long are you in town?"

"Two months at least. My mom is starting to go downhill so I want to stay close just in case."

Fran linked arms with her old friend and began walking with her to the baggage carrousel. "Why don't I give you my number and maybe while your here we can go for coffee and do some real catching up?"

"Sounds good Fran."

/

Penelope unclasped the clips then loosened the straps on Ricky's car seat. "Hold on a minute sweetie, and mommy will get you out of there."  
She lifted her son up and snuggled him to her body.

"Hey there, see I told you mommy would get you out. Now, lets put you in your crib so I can take care of your sister."

Once Ricky was settled in the portable crib, Penelope made quick work of his sister's car seat. "You are tired after that long flight, aren't you? Mommy's tired too but she can have coffee to wake her up. You and your brother can't have that for a loong time." She put her daughter down, turned on the baby monitor, and watched as both babies slowly drifted off into sleep.

Normally their nap time wouldn't have been for a couple more hours... but the flight had tuckered them, and Penelope, out.

Taking a step back she examined the room that Fran had set up for her. There were a couple Blackhawks posters tacked up on the walls beside a few old movie posters. And in the corner was a poster of attractive blonde posing by a car... it looked to be a Lamborghini of some sort.

Penelope grinned, even without Fran telling her she knew whose room this had belonged to. Taking a hand she placed it on the bookshelf.  
The room must have changed very little in the past decade... she could detect Derek's unique scent... it still lingered around the room like a ghost.

Sighing, she picked up her make-up bag and went to the bathroom down the hall to freshen up a bit. The plane ride did a number on her... Ricky smudged her lipstick, Penelope's cheeks were streaked with her mascara, and the orange flower piece in her hair had almost fallen out.

Looking down at her dress she saw someone left a nice big streak of drool mixed with breastmilk. Grumbling she went back into her room and grabbed a clean dress.

Half an hour later she deemed herself presentable enough to join Derek's family in the kitchen.

"Hey there, we were wondering if you had gone down for a nap too." Sarah remarked as she fed Charlie some mashed baby food.

"No naps for me. I just needed to remake myself." Penelope bee lined it right for the coffee pot which thankfully had a cup left in it.

"Where's Fran and Des?"

"They wanted to pick up a few things for tonight so they headed out about ten minutes ago; while your over there Penelope could you grab me a clean washcloth?"

"Sure." As she opened the fridge with one hand she reached over and grabbed a washcloth from the drawer beside her and tossed it to Sarah.

Penelope stirred in a couple shots of cream into her coffee and joined Sarah at the table. "Charlie is getting big."

"Yes he is. Aren't you little buddy. Here comes the airplane, open wide." Quickly she put the spoon in the boys open mouth and emptied the contents. "There, just like that, now lets get the mess you left behind." Sarah wiped the toddler's mouth and grinned. "There."  
"Gracie and Ricky are getting big too. I saw them what, three months ago? And already they look twice the size. Well, maybe not that big."

"Thanks Sarah." Penelope took a sip of the coffee. "Mmm... what kind of coffee is this? It's great."

"Some hazelnut mix that momma picked up yesterday. Normally we don't drink that much coffee but we know how much you like it." Sarah grinned as she put the dirty washcloth on the side of the sink. "Derek often told us how you loved your addiction."

"Did he really talk about me that much?"

"Yes, every time he visited or called we were regaled with at least one tail of his goddess. I still can't believe it took you two as long as it did to see what everyone else saw..." Sarah gave Charlie a cracker to keep in occupied and sat back down.

"I saw it... but after my parents, Elle leaving, and Em's death... I guess I wanted to play things safe. And Derek, was a risk. I saw the women he surrounded himself with and... I wasn't anything like them. Going after him, I risked him finding out that I wasn't who he wanted... I risked losing my best friend..." Penelope closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. "I lost him anyways though... And now I kick myself for not taking that chance sooner."

Sarah reached out and touched Penelope's hand. "You two took that step when it was right for you. It isn't your fault that it ended too soon. And, it didn't all turn out bad. You have Ricky and Grace and who knows, maybe you will find someone that you can love again."

Penelope shook her head. "No, I will never find someone else. Your brother was the only man for me, he was the only one that ever managed to capture my heart."

Sarah dropped it and changed the subject to Fran's birthday dinner tomorrow.

/

Penelope sat at the table, surrounded by Derek's family. Every one of them in Chicago turned out to wish Fran a happy 64th birthday.

She ended up being seated between Cindi and Yvonne who were both pestering her for information on the kids.

Yvonne plunked a spoonful of potatoes onto her plate. "So, have they began sitting yet? I remember Derek sat up when he was four months."

Penelope swallowed her piece of turkey. "Grace can sit up and Ricky is about to."

"Sarah, pass the stuffing over here." Cindi asked. "Ricky sure looks like Derek, doesn't he?"

Penelope nodded, her mouth full of potatoes. She finally realized how all those UnSubs must have felt.

"Has he started teething yet?"

Penelope swallowed and took a quick drink of water. "No, not yet. Neither of them have had a tooth come in. And I am thankful for that. The plane ride was bad enough without one of them teething."

"Well dear, when they do, have them chew on something cold." Fran took some yams. "Use a teething ring if you can. If there isn't one around, use a frozen washcloth, that always works."

"Ladies, stop pestering the poor woman, let her eat. After dinner you can all bombard her with questions." Sarah said.

Penelope threw her a grateful look. And almost by a stroke of fate, she heard the wails of her infants on the baby monitor. "Sorry guys." She pushed back her chair and got up. "My duty calls."

/

Picking up Ricky she grinned. "Thank you guys. You saved momma from the Spanish Inquisition. Your daddy's family really cares about you two. They were asking me a ton of questions about the both of you. So, judging by that crying... I am thinking you two are hungry?  
I wish I could feed both of you, but momma only has two arms. Gracie, you're going to have to hold on a bit."

"Need help?"

"Sure, thanks Sarah."

Sarah picked up Grace and tried her best to calm her fussy niece. "Sorry about down there... the twins are a big deal. Though I would have thought Cindi would have had the sense to cut you a break. After she came home... everyone interrogated her with questions about Anthony."

"It's alright Sarah. I knew eventually I would be called away. And, after the flight here, I think I can handle anything.  
Here, I think Ricky is done. If you want to burp him I can feed Grace."

As Grace latched on Penelope she felt a sharp pain in her nipple. "I think someone just got a tooth..."

Sarah used a finger to gently pull back Ricky's lips. "It looks like this guy will get one soon too."

Penelope shifted to make herself more comfortable. "Ok, I'm so taking the train home now... no way in hell I'm going to take the plane with these two teething."

"Did you bring anything for them to chew on?"

"No, I didn't expect them to teethe now..." Penelope sighed in frustration. "Why now?"

"Don't worry, tomorrow we will go out and get you some teething rings." Sarah put Ricky in his crib. "Is Grace almost done?"

"Almost. She just needs to give me a good burp." As if on cue her daughter let out a belch that seemed too loud to have come from her little body. "And that is it. Alright little girl, it is time for momma to go back to the madness of your Daddy's family."

She kissed Grace on the cheek and set her down in the crib.

Downstairs the table was in the process of being cleaned off and most of the guests had found their way to the living room.

Des picked up an empty plate and looked up. "You and Sarah's food is in the microwave. All ready to be heated up. We'll hold off on the cake until you two are finished."

"Thanks."

By the time they had finished the party had once again trickled back into the dining room in preparation for the cake and present opening.

"Finally, cake. I heard Sarah made it from scratch this year. I can't wait."

"Anthony, calm down." Cindi placed a hand on her son's shoulder. "It will be a few minutes yet. Sarah and Des need to put the candles on. While we wait why don't you take Penelope's plate to the kitchen for her?"

Anthony scowled. "Do I have to?"

"Anthony Luther Ford, don't you dare talk back to me. Now, haul your butt up and take Penelope's plate to the kitchen, or else I will tell Des and Sarah that you don't deserve cake."

"Oh alright." The boy grumbled as he got up and took the plate. "Sorry Ma..."

Penelope looked over at Cindi. "Is that what I have to deal with in the future?"

Cindi leaned back and grinned. "Yep. And you have two of them to deal with."

"Oh boy..."

"Hey, who is ready for some chocolate chip zucchini cake?" Sarah yelled from the kitchen.

"I am! And considering it is my birthday... bring it in!"

Everyone smiled as Sarah and Des brought in a large cake piled with candles. Sarah started off the song and everyone's voices soon joined hers.

Looking around, Penelope realized that she was starting to feel like she belonged. Despite the never ending questions, the drama, and the sense that something was missing, she belonged.


	17. Chicago Part 2

_Sorry about the delay. My cat keeps wanting to sit on my computer.  
So, someone from Penelope's past pops up. Who could it be? Lynch, Gideon, Elle? Read and you shall see.  
And as usual, thank you for the reviews, they are really great.  
Also... I do not own Criminal Minds._

Penelope walked outside the shop and loaded her bags into her stroller. She, Fran, and Des, had gone shopping today. They had used the excuse that Ricky and Grace needed some teething rings but in reality, they all just wanted to get out of their respective houses to spend some time with just the four of them and the kids.

Looking across the street she thought she saw someone familiar. Looking closer she realized it was someone familiar, someone very familiar. Turning around she quickly looked at the girls. "I have to bugger off for a few moments but I'll catch up with you guys at the toy shop you mentioned."

Penelope barely heard Fran talking as she made her way across the cross walk. "Gideon!" She called.

The person turned around. It was him. It really was him.

He started walking towards her. "Hey there Garcia."

"Oh Gideon it is so good to see you!" Penelope locked the wheels on the stroller and threw her arms around the older man.

Jason stood there, looking around at the passing people. Finally he wrapped his arms around her and briefly returned the hug.  
Letting go he put his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"I didn't expect to run into you here."

"Likewise, Gideon."

Jason rocked back on his feet. "So, how have you been?"

"That is a loaded question. Do you have time to grab a cup of coffee? Come on, Derek's mom told me about this nice coffee shop on the corner here." Before Jason knew what was happening he was sitting in the coffee shop with Penelope.

"So, you and Morgan finally did something." Jason motioned to the two babies.

"Yeah, about time huh?"

Jason leaned back and crossed his legs. "I knew it would happen. I bet he turned out to be a really good father."

Penelope's face fell and he knew something was wrong.

"No... no one told you?"

A look of concern crept over Jason's face. "Told me what? What happened Garcia?"

She took in a deep breath and tried to calm herself. "He... he was killed little over a year ago."

"Who, Morgan? Couldn't have been..."

"...Yes." She turned her eyes down. She really did not want to give Jason a recount of what happened... but he would ask her anyways. Best to get it over with.  
"He went into a house and was ambushed... he never knew about the babies..."

Jason put down his coffee. "I am sorry to hear that. He was a really good agent. One of the finest I knew. I wish someone told me... Why didn't you track me down to tell me?"

"I kinda had a lot on my plate." Penelope glared at him. "I was pregnant and had to cope with Derek not being around... contacting you was far down on my list of things to do."

"I'm sorry." Jason was still trying to wrap his head around what had happened. "I... I wasn't thinking." An awkward silence began to sweep across the table.  
"So... you have kids. I always knew you would become a mother one day."

Penelope glanced down at her babies and smiled. "How did you know?"

Jason took a sip of his coffee. "You always had that mothering aspect. You had a want to nurture, care, and protect those around you. It only made sense that those qualities would transfer to a child of your own.  
What are their names?"

"My daughter's name is Grace Isabella Morgan, and my son's name is Richard Derek Morgan."

He stared down at the two children and smiled. "Beautiful names. Would you mind if I held one of them?"

"Not at all. Which one do you want to hold first?" She knelt down and began unbuckling the straps on both the kids.

"Grace."

Reaching into the stroller Penelope picked up her daughter and transferred her to Jason's arms. Next she picked up Ricky and sat back down with him in her arms.

"She is... exquisite. If it were not for her hair and eyes... I would guess she wasn't Derek's child."

Penelope adjusted Ricky so she could reach her coffee. "Trust me, she is his. From what his mother said, Grace is every bit the trouble maker her father was."

Jason looked at Grace with disbelief. "This little angel? Never. Someone's telling stories about you Grace."

"Oh, you say that only because you don't know her. That little trouble maker has be on my toes all day. Even when I am working on a case."

"You didn't take maternity leave?"

Penelope shook her head. "No, I couldn't. How could I look into the faces of my babies knowing that I am not there helping give other mothers that very chance."

He leaned back in his chair. "That doesn't surprise me, Garcia. The one thing that sticks in my mind about you is your dedication and perseverance."

"Thank you."

Jason waved a dismissive hand. "No need to thank me for saying the truth."

"So, Gideon," Penelope took a sip of her coffee. "what have you been up to all these years?"

"Traveling. I've spent time in Europe relaxing, one winter in Russia to study the culture, little while in South America, and I just got back from a year in Tibet. It has been busy, but I have enjoyed it.  
I actually ran into Prentiss in France little over a year ago. Her kid's really adorable."

"I know, Andrea had her first birthday about four months ago. David and I threw a huge party for her. We both figured that since we missed her birth that we should do something big to mark her first year."

"David? You mean Rossi, right?"

"Yep. Shortly after Derek passed away... he offered to help me. I ended up moving in with him and it turned out to be the best thing I could have ever done. He is great with the kids and I think they blew a fresh spark of life into them. His face lights up every time they smile, laugh, or even cry.  
David is a wonderful Grandfather to them. I don't know what I would have done without him."  
She played with the paper sleeve on the cup. "But I've started saving up for my own place. As much as I would love to, I can't stay with him forever. We need to strike out on our own sometime, won't we little guy?" She ruffled the little amount of hair Ricky had.

"Can I hold him now?" Jason asked.

"Sure, just come over here and we will do a switch."

Jason took Ricky into his arms and sat back down. "Now this one, I can tell who he came from."

Penelope adjusted Grace. "Yes. Everyone tells me that he looks exactly like Derek but, I don't think he has his father's personality. He seems to be more sedate, and a bit more cautious. Which I am thankful for."

"Yeah, one trouble maker is enough, isn't it?" He winked at Grace, who let out a gurgle in response. "That's what I thought."

Penelope leaned back. "Gideon, so much has changed. Looking back, I could have never imagined most of the things happening that have happened. It is hard to comprehend some nights when I am laying awake."

"I know... are you still happy at the BAU?"

"Yes." Penelope said without hesitation. "There may be hard times but I could not even think of leaving. To leave would be to leave behind the best family I have known, and to rip these two from their family."

"Good, as long as you are happy, stay. I wasn't happy anymore... and I couldn't dedicate my mind to the job."

Penelope finished the last bit of her coffee. "I understand." She looked at her cell phone. "It's been really nice talking to you. I didn't expect to run into you on the streets of Chicago." She began to strap Grace into the stroller.

"Likewise Garcia." Jason handed Ricky to her and stacked the empty cups.

"Do you have an email or something that I could reach you at? I want to try to stay in contact with you... there is so much I didn't tell you about the team..."

Jason debated it for a moment before speaking. "Sure." He took out a slip of paper and jotted a few things down. "Here is my phone number and my email address. Use it wisely Garcia."

She took the slip and carefully placed it in her wallet. "Of course. Can I... call you Jason? I think we know each other well enough to go on a first name basis now..."

"Sure Gar- I mean Penelope."

Penelope grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder. "Good. I really have to go though Jason... Derek's family will be waiting for me."

"Of course." Jason stood up and in an uncharacteristic show of affection hugged Penelope. "I expect you to keep me abreast of everything that goes on kiddo."

"I will Jason." She leaned into his chest and breathed in the familiar musky scent that had mixed with soya sauce. She found that she actually missed the smell.  
Part of her wanted to ask him to come back to the BAU. Even though they had never really clicked, he reminded her of simpler times. Before she got shot, before Lynch, before Haley's death, before Em leaving...  
But she knew that it wouldn't be something he could do. His path had led him elsewhere and the team had moved on in his absence.

Letting go she smiled and allowed him to walk her to the door. She needed help opening it anyways, and it was a few more seconds spent with Jason.

Outside they stood awkwardly, not really sure of how to say their good-byes.

Penelope spoke first. "So, as soon as I get back to Quantico I will send you pictures of everyone. Andrea looks so much like her mom, even more now, you might be shocked."

"Good. I can't wait to see them. Now... I recall you saying Morgan's family is waiting for you... I've already kept you long enough. I'll see you around Penelope." The latter he knew not to be true, but saying it seemed like the right thing to do.

She knew he was saying it just to be polite... but the gesture made her happy. "I'll see you around too, Jason."

/

By checking her messages, Penelope managed to find the girls at a clothing shop a couple blocks away.  
She raced as fast as she could with high heals and a double stroller to the store.

Barging in breathless she made her way to the back to where the girls were.

"I am soo sorry about being late. I was only going to be a couple minutes but those couple minutes turned into an hour."

"Where did you go off to?" Fran asked. "Des was texting you but getting no answer... you worried us."

"...Sorry. I saw a friend and wanted to catch up with him before he disappeared again. You might actually remember him: Jason Gideon."

"Jason?" Fran fingered a flowery summer dress. "Derek told me he took off a few years ago, how has he been?"

"Good." Penelope panted, trying to catch her breath. "He's been doing his own thing and he seems very happy."

Fran pulled the dress off the rack. "Good. I know his departure hurt Spencer... at least some good came out of it.  
Here, I want you to try this on. I think it would look good on you."

Penelope took it and looked. The size was smaller than she normally wore. "It seems a little small for me..."

"No it doesn't. If you haven't realized all your clothes are hanging off of you. You need something that will cling to your body, something to show it off.  
Plus, the top on this one will make breastfeeding easier. Go try it on, if you don't like it I will shut up."

"Alright. Watch the babies for me while I try it on." Grumbling Penelope made her way into a dressing room. Taking off the clothes she was wearing she chanced a glance at the mirror. Her body hadn't fully recovered from the pregnancy. There was still some baby fat there, she could see it. Looking at the dress she sighed. She always hated trying on clothes she knew would not fit. It never had done her self esteem any good.

She slipped on the dress and looked in the mirror again. Amazingly enough, it fit her. Maybe Fran was right... She could still see her curves, but her body... seemed different.  
Twirling around she grinned. It would go perfect with the new hair clips she picked up earlier.

Finally she opened the door and came out to her waiting public.

"See, I told you it would fit." Fran had a cheeky smile on her face.

"How... I didn't think..."

Sarah popped out of the dressing room a few doors down in a pair of jeans and a teshirt. "You burn a lot of calories breast feeding. You probably didn't notice the weight loss because you are always busy keeping Gracie out of trouble or working. When I was breastfeeding Charlie I dropped weight like it there was no tomorrow."

"Wow. I have never been able to fit into this size, ever. Spencer failed to mention this side effect of breastfeeding. Girls, I have some serious shopping left to do."

/

Later they left the shop. Penelope had bought a dozen outfits for herself and a few dozen for the twins who had begun to grow out of their current clothes. At least they would be clothed for a little while longer: two, three months tops.

"Penelope, I don't recall telling you this. But I love your style. It is so bold and daring. I could never wear the clothes you did without feeling totally self conscious."

"Thanks Des." Penelope stuffed the shopping back in the last bit of free space in the stroller. "It really happened by force. After my parents died I wasn't left with much. I was negated to shopping at thrift stores and when you go in with twenty bucks your forced to be creative.  
At first I was self conscious but after a little while, I didn't care what people thing. I still don't."

"Derek always loved the way you dressed. He said it made you... unique." Fran said. "It is one of the things that drew his eyes to you. Your personality, caring demeanor, and zest for life, kept his eyes fixated on you."

"And to think, I thought it was my sultry curves that did it."

"Those didn't hurt." Sarah giggled. Talking about her brother still hurt... but talking like this made it a bit easier.

Fran pushed the button for the crosswalk. "So dear, when are you heading back?"

"In two days. We got a week and a half off but I anticipate that Aaron will call me with a case in about three or four days... it is almost impossible to pull us all away for that long."

"Are you still planning on taking the train?"

"Nah, I thought about it and I think I'll be renting a car and driving. It's only going to be about twelve hours and I could make good headway if I left early while these two are still asleep."

Fran sighed. "I wish you could stay for a little longer. I love spending time with these two."

"I wish so too." She gave Fran an apologetic look. "But, some things cannot be helped. You know I could never leave the BAU, just like Derek could never leave."

"... I know, but an old lady can dream, can she?"

Sarah playfully elbowed her mom. "Ma, you're no old lady."

"My body would disagree with you. I think I'm going to have to take a day off to recuperate from trying to keep up with the three of you."

Penelope paused for a second as a thought ran through her mind. "Fran, I know you're tired, but can we make one final stop before going home?"

"Sure dear. Where were you thinking?"

"The cemetery."

/

Penelope stood in front of the stone belonging to the boy Derek had found so many years ago. She didn't know what made her want to come here all of a sudden. And she didn't know how she found the stone so fast.  
Kneeling she placed her flowery hairpiece on the ground. She didn't have any real flowers so this would have to do.

She ran a hand over the stone. Somewhere out there was someone missing this child. How they could not be out looking for him... baffled her mind. Glancing over to the car she wondered what she would do if one of her babies went missing, if they didn't come home one day...

Already she could feel her heart breaking at the thought.

Her hand traced the lettering. "Don't worry baby. I know Derek is watching over you. Him and his dad will take good care of you. Just do me a favour and take good care of my sweetheart. I know his dad will be there too but... from what Derek's mom tells me... his father was just as rash as he was. Those two both need someone with a cool head to keep them in line."

Standing up she made her way back to the car where the girls and her babies were waiting. Tomorrow would be her last day in Chicago and then, it would be back to the bloody bodies, the crazy hours, and to her family.  
She wouldn't have wanted it any other way.


	18. Homeward Bound

_Alright, back with a long chapter. I hope you like it. And thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, I've wanted to bring Gideon in for a while but had been struggling to find the right spot to fit him in.  
Now, onto the next chapter. Will a 12+ hr car drive with twins be easier than flying?  
As usual, I do not own Criminal Minds._

Early that Sunday morning Penelope packed up the rental car. It amazed her how much she was leaving with. There was the stuff she had bought for herself, the stuff she got for her kids, stuff that their Grandmother and Aunts had gotten them, stuff that she got for the BAU family, a small cooler filled with teething rings and some food, and the stuff she had came with.

As Penelope packed it in she thought that it was a really good thing that she didn't go with the cute compact that she had been looking at. No way all of this would have fit in there without pushing her and the babies out.

One the car had been packed she went back inside. In the living room Fran, Des, and Sarah, sat on the couch next to the car seats in which the babies were sleeping. Carefully Penelope picked Grace's car seat up.  
She motioned to Sarah to get Ricky and together everyone left the house.

Slowly Penelope slid Grace's car seat into the back and secured it before moving on to Ricky's. Once done she stood back and let out a sigh of relief. She managed to do it without waking either kid up.

She closed the doors quietly and turned towards Derek's family. "This is it. Thank you Fran for putting up with the three of us. I know we are not the easiest guests."

Fran closed the gap between her and Penelope and enveloped the girl in a hug. "It was nothing dear. If anything, thank you for bringing the babies here for my birthday. It was the best gift I could have hoped for."  
She let go and Penelope could see Fran was struggling not to cry. "You and my grandbabies are welcomed here anytime."

"Hey ma, stop hogging Penelope. We want to say our good-byes." Sarah said, poking her mom in the side.

"Oh alright. Just try to visit when you can Penelope."

"I will Fran, and you are more than welcomed to visit Quantico whenever you want."

The older woman took a step towards the car window to get a good look at the sleeping kids while her daughters said good-bye.

"It has been really nice having you and the kids here, Penelope. I know ma really appreciated you visiting." Sarah shifted her foot. "It's still really hard to deal with... Derek not being around. And occasions like Ma's birthdays, don't make it easier. Having Richard and Grace here... made it a bit more bearable for all of us."

Penelope looked down and bit her lip. "I know. And it was really great spending time with you and Charlie. He is going to grow into a fine young man at the rate you're going." Leaning forward she hugged Sarah one last time before going. "Bring him to Quantico again sometime soon..."  
Stepping away she moved towards Des who was playing with a lose string on her jacket.

"Des... Thank you for everything. It was really nice to see you again."

"Likewise Penelope." Des hugged Penelope and glanced over her shoulder to look at her niece and nephew. "Call us when you get to Quantico. I know Ma will be worried sick until she knows you three are home safe and sound. And if you have any trouble along the way, give me a call."

"Will do, Des." Penelope pulled back and opened the door of the car. "Thank you all once again for everything..." She gave everyone one final hug before getting into the car. Plugging in her GPS she turned it on.  
Last night she programmed it for every truck and rest stop along the way, just in case she needed to stop in a hurry.

Putting the car in drive she pulled out. While doing so she looked in the rear view mirror one last time at Fran, Des, and Sarah, who were waving at her.

When she had turned off Fran's street Penelope took her cell phone and called David to tell him that she was on her way.

/

Penelope managed to get three solid hours of driving in before the babies woke up, and manged to get one more hour in after that before they started to fuss.  
Looking at the GPS she spotted a rest stop that was coming up soon. She said a prayer that there would be a significant amount of people there, if not there was no way she would stop.

When the rest stop came into view she cursed her luck. Empty. It could mean that no one was there, or it could mean that some sick UnSub was waiting for a defenseless person to come along so he could kidnap and do nasty things to them.  
Shuddering she remembered all the cases that the team worked on that involved people being kidnapped from rest stops.  
Penelope was definitely giving this a pass.

"Sorry guys, we are going to have to wait a few more moments. Momma doesn't want to take any chances. Especially on a road with no cell service.  
There is a truck stop up a little ways, you will just have to hold on until then."

By the time the truck stop had come into view Penelope was about to go mad. The GPS lied. It said the stop was ten minutes away. It was thirty minutes.

She quickly pulled in and lugged both car seats out of the car.  
"We're here, hold on. Momma will be able to change and feed you in a few moments. Just hold on."

Penelope scrambled up the steps, groaning when she realized she couldn't open the door with both the car seats in her hands. "Damnit!" There had been a reason why she preferred the city over the country side and two of those reasons was staring her right in the face: the lack of buttons to open doors with and the lack of automatic doors.  
She managed to gain the attention of a waitress inside who thankfully opened the door for a frazzled Penelope.

"Oh thank you thank you thank you! I promise I will sit down and eat something but right now I need to take care of these two before I totally unravel." Brushing past the waitress Penelope bee-lined it for the washroom.

Once inside she effortlessly got Ricky out of his seat and conducted the fastest nappy change known to man. After she was done with him she did the second fastest nappy change on Grace. Setting her daughter down in her car seat, Penelope looked in the mirror and used a soapy piece of paper towel to wipe a bit of poo off her face.

A year ago she would have been grossed out by having poo on her face. But, being a parent had changed her in more ways than one.

After washing her hands and straitening her hair she grabbed the car seats and went to go find a place to sit down so she could feed the twins before tending to her own rumbling stomach.

"Everything alright now, Hun?" The waitress asked as she put down a menu. "You looked a bit rushed there."

"Yeah, I just needed to do two emergency nappy changes... sorry about brushing past you there."

"Aw, it's alright. Now, what can I get'cha? I have a fresh pot of coffee brewing if you want some?"

Penelope perked up at the mention of coffee. "Yes please. Oh thank god." She picked up the menu and had a quick look. "And I'll just have a cheese burger with fries. I need something greasy..."

"Sure, I'll be right out with you coffee. And may I say Miss, those are two beautiful babies you have."

She smiled for the first time in an hour. "Thanks."

/

After everyone had eaten their fill Penelope leaned back to relax for another minute before calling David to check in.  
When she had told him of her plan to drive he had insisted that she call him or another team member every time she stopped for a break so Spencer could calculate when she would be arriving home.

Sometimes she felt smothered by her team. They were always there, always protecting her. She understood why. After each loved one had died... they had become a little more protective over each other.  
She had come to accept and even love the new closeness, but sometimes just wanted to take off and have no one know where she was.

Picking up her phone looked and saw that David would have to wait... she had no cell service and it was unlikely that the diner would allow her to make a long distance call on their phone. She got up and placed cash on the table, enough to cover the tab and to leave a nice tip for the waitress.

Outside she opened the car up and got her babies situated in their seats and had given them each a frozen teething ring to chew on.

"Hey Miss."

She turned around to see a rather handsome man in ripped jeans and a wife beater. His truckers hat gave him away as a driver.

"I couldn't help but see that you were trying to call someone back there. If you want, I have a radio in my truck you can use." He motioned to a rig on the edge of the parking lot.

The man looked alright, but something made her hair stand on end. He seemed too good to be true. "It's ok. There should be cell service in a couple towns over." She glanced around the parking lot to see if there were any cameras fixated on her.  
No such luck.

"Are you sure Miss? I bet someone is just waiting to hear from a pretty little thing like yourself." He took a couple steps forward and now she was within arms reach of him. Reaching backwards she felt for the door handle of the car.  
If need be she was going to make a break for it.  
"No, I'm more than alright, but thanks."

Next thing she knew the man's hand had a tight grip on her wrist. He began tugging roughly as she struggled to break free. "I tried to be nice about this. But you give me no choice."

Penelope Garcia had never been a violent person. She hated violence and everything connected to it. When Derek had forced her to take self defense classes she had spent those nine weeks gritting her teeth and hating every minute.  
But now, she had never been so thankful for those classes.

Using her knee she dealt the man a swift kick in his balls. By the way he had doubled over she swore she must have burst one.

Wasting no time she got into her car, locked the doors, and sped off. As soon as she had cell service she would not be calling David. She would be calling Aaron with the description of the man and an account of what happened.

She kept dialing until she got service. When she finally heard Aaron's deep voice on the other end she sighed with relief.

_"Penelope, is everything ok? Penelope?"_

"Right now everything is alright but half an hour ago some creep at a truck stop tried to grab me. Don't worry, I'm ok but I think he might be hurt."

"_Do you have a description?"_

"Yeah. Short brown hair, brown eyes, over 6ft tall, stocky, and he drives a black Kenmore truck with what appeared to be Texas plates. He was really creepy. Tried to get me to come to his truck to use his radio to call David but I didn't buy it. And I tell you, I am so very thankful for those self defense classes."

"_Are you safe enough to drive?"_

"Of course, I'm driving right now."

"_Where are you?"_

"I don't know... if you give me a second I can pull over and give you my GPS location."

"_Don't pull over. Penelope. The next town you see pull in and go to the local police department. Give them a description and tell them to call me. I or someone else from the team will be there as soon as possible.  
It is vital that you go to the police station Penelope. You saw this man and you are able to give a description. He might track you down."_

Penelope looked nervously in the mirror and breathed a sigh when she saw no trucks. "Alright Aaron, please call David and let him know I'm ok?"

"_Of course, now go and do as I said."_

Hearing the click Penelope once again checked for a truck. Great, now Aaron had made her paranoid. Looking at her GPS she saw that a turnoff for Sturges would be coming up in the next ten minutes or so. Gripping her steering wheel she looked into the back seat and tried to calm herself.

But the fact that Aaron was worried... scared her. Sure, of course he would be worried, but to ask her to pull over at the next cop shop? It seemed a little excessive, even for him.

About several minutes later she glanced in her mirror and saw a black truck in the distance, which appeared to be gaining slowly on her. Looking ahead she saw the turnoff for Sturges and sent a prayer of thanks.

She turned off and saw that the truck eventually did the same. It followed her down the main street and even down the side streets, and was almost upon her when she saw a bridge that had a weight limit that the truck would have easily exceeded. Making a sudden turn she rammed the gas pedal and raced over the bridge. Leaving the other vehicle behind for now.

Looking at the GPS she saw the cop shop was a block away. Almost there...

Pulling into the parking lot she looked around. No truck. Quickly she grabbed the car seats and ran inside to the front desk of the precinct.  
"Hi, I'm Penelope Garcia from the FBI," She flashed her badge. "I need to speak to your chief."

A older pudgy looking man looked up from a couple desks over. "Hi Miss Garcia. I'm Detective Joscelyne, what may I do for you?"

"I was attacked outside of a truck stop about forty five minutes ago. The man has been following me. I called my superior and he advised me to stop in at the next police station and have you guys call him." Penelope knew she was beginning to ramble, but it didn't matter. As long as she got out what she needed to say.

"Alright Miss Garcia, come this way. I'm just going to put you in my office while I call your boss. Do you per chance have his number? Good. Now step this way."

He seated her in a small office with grey walls. She put the car seats down on either side of the chair but refused to let them go.  
As Joscelyne talked on the phone her eyes darted to the pictures, plaques, and awards that decorated his office. He looked legit.

"Alright Miss., from what your boss said you are a lucky woman."

Penelope's eyes snapped up to his. "Why?"

"That man that harassed you, fits the profile of a man who was last seen with four other women. They all turned up dead a week after one another. I had called your team two days ago for help but was told you were away on vacation. Guess this is my lucky day, huh?"

"D...d... dead?" Penelope had to struggle to say it.

"Yup. You are a damn lucky woman. Your boss said he will be here in about an hour with some of your team members. In the meantime, can you tell a sketch artist what you saw? You're the only one to get a clear look at this guy which is probably why he followed you."

"...Ok..."

/

When Aaron came into the office he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Penelope. "Garcia, thank god your safe..."

"Why didn't you tell me that a homicidal truck driver was after me?!"

"I didn't want to scare you. I needed you to be calm enough to get here"

Penelope glared. "And telling me that he might come after me was supposed to be what? Comforting?!"

He leaned against the desk. "I needed you to get here. If I didn't say that you probably would have continued to Quantico. Now, Rossi is here too along with J.J. Him and I will be going to the truck stop that you stopped at, and J.J. will stay with you and the babies.  
Do you remember the name?"

"Sam's"

"Good. Once J.J. is here Rossi and I will go."

/

In the small office J.J. held Ricky while Penelope clung onto Grace. "J.J... why can I never meet any normal people?"

"Probably the same reason why Spence has no normal fans."

"I mean first there was Battle who tried to kill me, then Lynch who turned out to be a creep, and then Olivia who tried to kill me and steel my babies, and now this jerk face who tried to drag me off and kill me." She turned to face J.J. "Do I have a sign taped onto my back saying 'please kill me'?"

"No, you just... draw people to you."

Penelope grunted in disagreement. "It's as if there is some sort of invisible being intentionally messing with my life all the time. In fact, it is like there is an invisible being messing with all of our lives."

J.J. let out a frustrated sigh. "Now you are just being paranoid Penelope. There is nothing 'messing' with your life. If anything, this was a good thing because now, thanks to you, we have an eye witness who _just_ saw the UnSub."

"Yeah," Penelope rolled her eyes. "tell that to my frazzled nerves. I know I should have taken the train but no. I had to be all like 'I want a nice car ride where if one of my babies cries, I don't offend anyone'. Some days I want to kick myself J.J."

"We all want to kick ourselves at times. Oh, I think someone needs a change. Did you bring your diaper bag in here with you?"

Penelope shook her head. "No, all I had time for was to bring these two in and out of danger."

"I'll take an escort and go outside to get it. I don't think this little guy likes a dirty diaper, do you. Now come on and Auntie J.J. will go out to get you and Gracie clean ones."

As J.J. left the room Penelope looked down at Grace. "You don't need a change do you?" She lifted her up and took a whiff. "I stand corrected, you do. And after I am guessing you want to eat? I'll try to calm down enough but keep in mind your momma's nerves are pretty frazzled right now."

"Here," J.J. tossed a fresh nappy at Penelope and Grace. Reaching up Penelope caught it. She had gotten used to this and the thought of joining the FBI's baseball team had begun to cross her mind.

"I'll take Ricky, you can take Grace."

"Sounds good."

/

Later in the afternoon Penelope sat in the office looking at the hacked security footage of the toll booths on the highway.

The team was in the main office area giving the profile to the local force. They had a name: Kevin White. And now, there was a state wide search to nab him before he made it over the state boarder.

The profile indicated that since White knew the forces would be after him, he would be attempting to flee. Lucky for the team the road he would have to travel to get out was a toll road and would require him to log in at a weigh station before the booth operators would allow him through.

Aaron looked around the room. His gaze hard."This man is probably armed, if so he will be very dangerous. If confronted he will fight back and probably with deadly accuracy. Remember, he has military training and can fight back with efficiency."

"According to my calculations he should be crossing the toll booth in about half an house. The people manning the booths have been instructed to call us as soon as they see his truck.. Even if they don't call we still have access to the security footage that is streaming to us live. And if we leave now we should be able to cut him off." Spencer glanced back at Penelope.

Alex shifted her feet. "Keep in mind that he has nothing to lose. You need to be fast in taking this UnSub down."

"If you are ready, lets go." Emily picked up her bag and began to lead the rest of the team out. This bastard had gone after the wrong woman. Now there would be hell to pay.

"J.J., are you coming?" Aaron asked.

"No, I think I'm going to stay here with Penelope." She looked at him, her eyes filled with worry. "Be careful."

"Don't worry, we will be."

/

"J.J., I see him! That's the truck. Look at those horrible flame decals. You think he would have done a better job at blending in..." Penelope pointed to the screen. Quickly she dialed Aaron. "Hotch. He's there. Are you guys almost at the toll booths?"

"_Almost. Can you tell me how he is acting?"_

"Stressed, he is weighing his truck but he looks like he just wants to go. Be careful, he has an assault weapon.  
How could this guy have gotten away with murder, he seems like such a dumbass."

"_Different MO, waited until he crossed state lines to commit a murder, changed plates. The only mistake he made was going after you. Listen Garcia, I have to let you go now. I'll call you after we're done. Keep a light on for us."_

"... I will."

Her and J.J. watched the security footage in silence while the babies slept.  
It was eerie to be able to watch but not be there. Penelope bit her nails in fear. This guy may have appeared careless... in reality he was anything but.

As shots began to fire two women gripped onto each other tightly. Only releasing each other when they saw White collapsing on the ground.

"It's over Penelope. They got him."

/

Later they watched their team come in one by one. Spencer, David, Alex, Emily, and Aaron who had a bandage on his arm.

Instantly Penelope was at his side. "What happened? I thought you were supposed to be careful?!"

"Calm down, it just grazed my arm. I'll be alright." Using his good arm he hugged her. "We got him, thanks to you.  
Are you ready to go home now?"

"Hells yeah. And there is no way I am driving. We are coming on the jet with you. I'll call my rental car company tomorrow and they can deal with this."

"Of course. Now, come home."


	19. First Steps

_Thanks for the awesome reviews, thanks to them the writing bug has gone into overdrive.  
As usual I do not own Criminal Minds, at all._

The twins had reached eight months and things were changing fast.

It all started one morning downstairs in the Rossi kitchen. Penelope stood at the stove preparing a breakfast in bed for David consisting of eggs, bacon, and hash browns. It was his birthday and after all he had done for her and the kids; the lest Penelope could do was to pamper him.  
As she leaned over to grab the flipper she head a very faint. "Momma"

Instantly Penelope was looking at the twins. "Did I just hear what I think I heard?"

Ricky, who had been snacking on some Cheerios smiled and smashed his hands down. Flinging the little O's everywhere. "Momma!"

She transferred the pan to a burner that wasn't on and dashed to get her phone and to wake David.  
On her way to her room she banged quickly on David's door. "David! Get up, get up! Now!"

Dashing back into the kitchen she pulled out her cell phone and turned on the voice recording. "Say it Ricky, say it for Momma!"

David stumbled into the kitchen, barely dressed and his hair a mess. If Penelope had not been so entranced with her son, she might have noticed David was not in the best of moods. "This had better good Kitten or else-"

"Momma!"

His mouth dropped. "Did he...?"

Penelope turned to look at him. The corners of her eyes were threatening to spill over. "Yes."

David leaned over and looked at Ricky, ignoring the feeling of the cereal sticking to his feet. "Can you say Nonno?"

Ricky looked up at David for a moment, as if he was pondering on the request. He grinned, picked up a cheerio and stuck it on David's nose. "Nonno!"

David jumped up and clapped his hands. "Bellissimo!" He hugged Penelope in a fit of excitement. The both of them danced around the kitchen for a few moments listening to the rounds of Nonno and Mamma coming from the cereal covered infant.

Penelope looked at the eggs and stopped.  
"I am so sorry David. I was cooking you eggs and totally forgot about them..."

"Kitten." David grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed both of her cheeks. "I don't give a damn about the eggs. I was just called Nonno... I never thought I would be called that. Clean the kids up, I am taking us all out for breakfast to celebrate!"

As they made their way to the restaurant David had picked, Penelope sent the recording to their BAU family, Jason, and to Derek's family.

/

Two days later Penelope was giving the twins a bath. She had just washed their hair and soaped them up; now it was time to play.  
Grabbing a rubber ducky she squeaked it. "Do you want a ducky Grace? Do you want to play with a ducky?"

Grace looked up and raised her hands above her head. Before Penelope had a chance to back away Grace brought her hands down and yelled. "No!"

The wave of water his Penelope and left her sopping wet, covered from head to toe in water, bubbles ran down her face. But she did not care. Leaning in she looked closely at her daughter. "What did you say Gracie?"

"No, no, no, no no!" Once again Grace brought a wave of water down.

"Spencer! Get your genius butt in here now!"

Spencer, who had come over to hang out while David went on a date with Erin, poked his head in the door. "What's the matter?"

"Just get in here and bring some extra towels." She turned back to Grace. "Ok Gracie, when your Uncle Spencer comes in I want you to do to him what you did to me, ok?"

"No!"

A few seconds later Spencer appeared with a stack of dry towels, he put them down on the counter. "Here are those towels, now would you mind telling me what's going on?"

Penelope crooked her finger. "Come here and see what your Niece can do."

Spencer, not knowing what was about to happen, knelt by the tub with Penelope. "Alright Penelope. What was the big fuss?"

A grin spread across Her face as she grabbed the duck again. "Gracie, do you want a ducky?"

"No!" She brought down her hands and created a bigger splash than before.

Spencer parted the soaked hair that blocked his face. "What... what did she say?"

"No!" Grace giggled as she looked at her dripping wet mom and uncle. "No! No no no no!"

"Gracie, can you say anything else?" Spencer asked as he wrung his tie out. "How about momma?"

"Mamma!"

"Come on genius boy, let's dry these two off so I can get a recording of her to send out."

/

The next milestone came when Penelope, J.J., Emily, Anna, and Alex, were having tea together Saturday afternoon. It was the first day in a while that they had the chance to get together and catch up. And to make it even better Emily had just gotten in a shipment of peppermint tea from her mother.

"So this one night J.J., P.G., and I went out to let off some steam. I am at the bar getting everyone's drinks and this suave man comes up to me and starts talking about how he is in the FBI. I never saw this guy _anywhere_ at headquarters so I figured he was either new or he was lying his ass off. He was so cocky that I figured there was no way he could be new. He had to be faking it.  
I invite him over to our table to have a little fun. And we all flirt with him for a few moments before asking to see his badge.  
Oh, you should have seen the look on his face when we pulled out our badges! He hightailed it out of there and I have not seen him since."

The table burst out in howls of laughter.

Anna wiped a tear from her eye. "Remind me never to play poker with you girls."

"Forget us," Penelope scoffed. "it is your boyfriend that you should never play poker with. Or crazy eights, or bull shit."

Emily nodded in agreement. "There is a lot to hate about him."

"But there is also a lot to love about him." Anna looked down and began to blush.

"Oh, what is this? Anna, what's going on in that head of yours? J.J. asked.

"Nothing..."

"Anna," Blake put down her cup. "I think the general convention says that when you blush that badly there is something indecent on your mind. Now share."

"Ok... he is... goodinthesack."

"I don't think I heard you right." Emily pushed, she wanted to hear it again.

"Uhh..." Anna looked up and spotted her salvation walking across the room. "Penelope, I think Grace is walking."

"No, that is impossible, her and Ricky haven't even started crawling yet."

"Penelope." J.J. looked over her friend's shoulder. "She's right."

She swung her head around to see that her daughter had indeed started to walk, and was currently on a path to David's liqueur cabinet.

"Ok, someone get a camera before I have to pick her up!" Penelope squealed as she walked beside Grace.

All four women left at the table flipped open their phones to capture this precious moment in life.  
Moments like this made what the BAU women did seem worth the price they paid.

/

A week later it was Ricky's turn to take that pivotal moment in his short life.

David had Aaron and Jack over for their usual Sunday morning coffee. Well, he had Aaron over for coffee. Jack, busied himself by playing with the babies, drinking coke, and listening in on bits of the adult's conversation.

He liked the babies. They were fun to play with most times. And today wasn't any different.

"Would you like more coffee, Aaron?"

"Sure, thanks Penelope."

"Can you get me some too Kitten, while you're up?"

Penelope took both cups and smiled. "You think I was your maid or something."

"Nah, you are just a really nice person who thinks kindly of the old, Kitten."

"Hey, I'm not old." Aaron protested. He may have been 41 but he could still outrun at least half of the cadets coming out of the FBI academy.

"Say what you want, but a little birdy told me that you threw your back out last week."

"Kids..." Aaron grumbled.

"Don't cha just love them?" Penelope asked.

"Most days yes." Aaron took the coffee from Penelope. "Thanks. Anyways, I got a call from Beth the other day..."

"Thanks." David took his cup and set it down. "And..."

"She says that she will take me back but, I have to go to New York."

Penelope took a seat between the two men. "Are you considering it?"

Aaron leaned back. "Not really. My life is here, along with Jack's. And his mother is here too. It just wouldn't be fair to rip him apart from everything and, as you know, I could never leave the BAU.  
As for Beth, she knows even if I did go to New York... I still wouldn't be able to love her the way she deserves." Glancing over at Penelope he shared a knowing look with her.  
Both of them knew that once you bury your heart with your soul mate... there is no possible way to love that fully, that wholly, that completely... ever again.

Jack's ears perked up when he heard Beth's name. He had liked her. She had been very nice to him, but his dad became very sad after she moved away. And now she wanted to take them to New York. Jack had heard about that place. It was big with lots of big buildings, and lots of people. He wasn't sure he would like New York.  
He liked it here, in Quantico with his aunts and uncles, and his cousins.  
Jack turned to look at two of his cousins whom he loved dearly and was shocked to see Ricky wobbling on his feet, slowly walking across the floor towards the sound of his mother's voice.  
"Dad, Uncle David, Aunt Penelope, I think Ricky is walking!"

"David, get the camera!" Penelope yelled as she rushed into the living room.  
"My babies..." She sniffed. "They're growing up..."

She felt an arm around her, leaning in she could smell Aaron's spicy scent.

"They had to start sometime Penelope. Just wait, before you know it the kids will be going off to college, getting married, and having babies of their own."

Penelope used the back of her hand to wipe away a tear. "I don't even want to think about it right now... right now I want them to stay like this forever."


	20. Pasta and Kids

_Alright, a Spencer chapter. What happens when Spencer and Anna are left to deal with the BAU kids alone. Will they survive? And how will Penelope cope spending her first night without the twins?  
... I don't own Criminal Minds..._

Spencer William Reid was a dead man, or at least he was going to be after tonight ended. Sure, Anna _said_ she didn't mind spending their first anniversary babysitting the BAU kids while the rest of the team went out. But every movie and tv show Spencer had watched, along with the social convention, dictated Spencer Reid would either be rendered a unic or would be dead by the time the sun rose over Quantico.

He tried to make it up, honestly. While the kids reigned havoc in the Rossi living room, he attempted to prepare a pasta recipe that David had left him the recipe for. But it wasn't working out the way he planned.

"Uncle Spencer! Grace is getting into Uncle David's magazines again!"

He put down his spatula and raced into the living room. "Jack Gideon Hotchner, you were supposed to make sure she stayed in the playpen with Ricky!"

"Sorry! I turned my head to watch Henry's game and then, when I looked back, she was out."

Spencer picked up Grace and plunked her down in the play pen. Ever since her brother and her had begun to walk she had become harder and harder to take care of. Part of him wished really hard right now that she was like her brother. At least Ricky stayed where he was supposed to.  
"Jack. I am trying to make dinner for you guys and for Aunt Anna. So please help me out and keep an eye on everyone, at least for a few more minutes.

"If I do, can I have one of Uncle David's redbulls?"

Spencer pursed his lip. "What is a redbull?"

"Oh," Jack shrugged his shoulders. "it's a drink that calms kids down."

"In that case, sure. If you keep an eye on the kids and keep them behaved for the next half hour, I will give you a redbull." Spencer retreated back into the kitchen. He looked around, aside from the dinner he had everything ready.  
It was not saying much.

Turning to the cutting board he began working on the carrots. Halfway through his first one his phone rang. Mumbling something about fate showing his poor sanity no mercy, he answered it.

"_Hey Spencer, just calling to check up on the kids. How are they?"_

"Good, just like they were fifteen minutes ago. I'm just trying to make dinner right now before Anna comes over. Maybe then she won't kill me."

"_Oh, she will do something, forgetting an anniversary is one thing, babysitting five kids is another."_

"You are the one that wanted to go out Penelope."

"_Na-uh, It was Em who dragged me out with the group. She said it was about time I had a night away from the kids. And you my dear, it was you who volunteered to do this."_

"Sorry... it is just a little stressful right now. Can I let you go? I need to finish cutting these carrots and you know my track record with multitasking and talking. I really don't feel comfortable talking on the phone and handling sharp objects..."

"_Alright. Just call me if anything goes wrong. I worry..."_

"I know you do. It is common for a mother to feel anxious and worried on her first night away from her children. But don't worry. Between Anna and I, we will have it all covered. So just go and have fun. Give David all your cell phones so you can stop calling and start having some fun."

/

Forty five minutes and two more calls later, just as he was about to put the pasta into a bowl he heard the chime for the door. Spencer quickly put the pasta in and rushed to the door.  
After checking he opened it. "Hi Anna. Listen, I am so very sorry. I totally forgot it was our anniversary when I promised to do this..."

"It's ok Spencer. I don't mind a quiet night in." She walked in and hung her coat up on the rack.

Spencer gulped. He was indeed a dead man.

"Dinner is almost ready, I just need to cook the pasta and add it to the sauce. Hopefully it will be good, I am using one of David's recipes and he says it is fool pro-"  
He had been cut off in mid ramble by a kiss.

"It's alright, I am sure everything will be fine." She looked at the table and gasped. "Roses! Oh my Spencer... no one has done that for me..." Anna ran a finger over one of the smooth petals.

'Good, maybe that will negate my punishment to just castration.' Spencer thought.

"Hey Uncle Spencer, Gracie got into the magazines again and she is ripping them and she also got into the markers and drew all over herself and Ricky accidentally said a bad word and now Ricky is saying it again and again and again and I think Aunt Penelope won't like that very much!"

"Calm down kid." Spencer put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Start over again, you are talking so fast not even I can understand you."

"Sorry it must be all this energy I have I feel so hyper I just want to run around and around and around this is such a cool feeling I love it I want to be this hyper all the time!"

Spencer arched his brows. "Didn't that redbull calm you down?"

"You gave him a redbull?" Anna asked. Her face was caught between a look of horror and of disbelief.

He looked up at her, worried. "Yes... he said it would calm him down..."

"And you bought it?! Spencer, redbull is an energy drink that _gives_ people more energy. And with his metabolism he will be hyper for hours now, and then crash." Sometimes Anna hated having a boyfriend who didn't know basic things like how redbull will give a nine year old the sugar rush that haunted every parent's nightmare. But, he was adorable. And that made up for it.  
Most times.

His heart froze. He was sure now that his punishment would be reverted back to death. "I... I didn't know."

"Is that the recipe for dinner on the counter?"

Spencer hung his head in shame. "... Yes."

The way his hair hung in his face... made Anna's anger seep away. Spencer may have been a dumbass tonight, but they could still salvage some of it. "I will finish here and serve dinner, you, take him outside and have him play on the playground in the back, eventually that should tire him out. Just make sure to keep an eye on him.  
I will save some dinner for the both of you."

"Thanks Anna... Again, I am so sorry."

"Please just go, I'll take care of things here."

"Alright. Jack, come on. Let's go burn some of that energy."

/

Anna had just finished dinner and had dished the pasta out, all of the children who were eating solid foods had been served and those still on breast milk had been fed their bottles beforehand.

Looking around she could see why Spencer loved them. They were actually good kids, most of the time.  
Checking her watch she decided to step outside for a moment to check on Spencer and

"Hey, how is it going out here?"

"Fine. I think he is beginning to tire himself out... Damn, how could I have been such an idiot. First I forget it is our anniversary, then I promise to babysit five kids and drag you along, then I can't even make you a nice dinner, and to top it off I gave Aaron's kid an energy drink."  
He turned his worried eyes to Anna. "I don't think I am cut out for this parenthood thing. I thought I was but, I'm really bad at it..."

Anna took her adorable boyfriend's face in her hands and brought it down so she could kiss him. "When we have our kid we will only be dealing with one, not five. I am sure you will be a fine father."

Spencer blinked. "You said 'when'... not 'if'. You have never said 'when' before..." He pursed his lips as an idea sunk in. "Anna, is there something you are trying to tell me?"

She smiled. "I wanted to wait until things have calmed down but... I'm pregnant. I found out yesterday."

"You... yo... you're... pregnant? As in pregnant with my child?" Despite having an IQ of 187, an eidetic memory, and able to read 20,000 words per minute, Spencer was having a tough time wrapping his mind around the notion of fatherhood, especially while his boss' kid was running circles around the playground.

"Yes. Whose child could it be besides yours?" She kissed him again, this time deeper.

"... I don't know, maybe Rob who works with the animal exhibits?"

Playfully she hit his chest. "Come on, Rob? Never. You, my hot genius boy, are the only man I would ever want to inseminate me." She paused and a worried began to set in.  
"Spencer, you're quiet... please tell me you are happy?"

Spencer forced a smile. He was happy, he really was. But, right now, given the circumstances, he was also really nervous. And he knew saying the wrong thing would make his punishment even worse; he did not know what could be worse than death, but Spencer had no wish to find out.  
"Of course I am. The most beautiful woman in the world is carrying my child. How could I not be happy?"

"Aunt Anna! Grace just got into the pasta sauce!"

She sighed. "Duty calls my fair Prince. After you two are done out here I'm going to need your help giving baths..."

"Alright, I'm not sure how long I'm going to be... Again, I am so sorry..."

He watched as Anna went back into the house to deal with the mess. Rocking on his feet he contemplated fatherhood. Anna was right, they would be dealing with only only child. But... this was a big change. Hell, they were not married yet. His mother would be pissed.  
Feeling the familiar vibration in his pocket Spencer pulled out his phone. When he saw the caller ID his hands began to sweat again.

"...Hi."

"_Hi Spencer, just calling to check up on the kids. I know you told me not to call but I had to. I trust you fully and completely but to be fair you have never looked after all the kids at once."_

"Penelope, everything is fine." His eyes darted to Jack. "In fact Anna just served dinner and the kids are loving the pasta, and after we are going to give them baths and send the littler ones off to bed. We are doing just fine."

"_If you say so Spencer... Are you sure everything is alright? I don't like the tone in your voice. That is the tone you use when something has gone wrong."_

"Now you're just being paranoid Penelope. As I said, everything is fine."

"Uncle Spencer..."

"I gotta go Penelope, talk to you later when you get home." Spencer hung up before Penelope could say anything else, he really wished she would stop calling...  
"Yes Jack?"

"I don't feel so good. I feel..." Jack didn't finish before he spewed his lunch onto Spencer's shoes. His favourate pair of shoes.

Spencer kicked what vomit he could off and led Jack inside. "Anna, I need help."

She came around the corner, Grace on her hip. "Everything alright?"

Looking at her, standing there with a child on her hip, caused Spencer smile. It quickly disappeared when he smelled the vomit on his shoes. "Jack's sick. Do you know if he can take Gravol?"

"I don't know. You're the smarty pants here."

"I've never encountered a situation like this. I don't want to give him Gravol and make it even worse. What if it kills him?"

"Don't kill me Uncle Spencer. I know I was a bad boy but please don't kill me." Jack tugged on Spencer's arm in fear. His dad had told him sometimes his Aunts and Uncles had to kill people but... he didn't think his trick deserved the punishment.

"No one is going to kill you Jack, I just want to make sure I can give you something to make your tummy feel better." Spencer once again turned his pleading eyes to Anna. "Can you call Aaron, no wait, we can't call Aaron, he will kill me... call... call your mom. Yeah, that's it, call your mom."

"Good idea, go clean Jack up, and get out of those shoes. I'll call and see what we can do."

"Come on buddy, let's get you cleaned up and in your jammies."

Upstairs in one of the bathrooms Spencer wiped the last bit of vomit from Jack's face. "Buddy, I know you tell your Dad everything but could this be a secret between you and I?"

"Are you scared Dad will kill you?"

"He won't kill me, but your Uncle will be in very big trouble. I made a mistake and I am so sorry buddy." He lifted Jack off the counter and placed him on the floor. "Now, lets go get your jammies and get you to be, ok? When you wake up you'll feel much better."

Spencer escorted the boy to one of David's spare rooms. Looking at the bed he saw Anna had already brought up Jack's overnight bag. He made a mental note to thank her immensely.  
"Here buddy, put on your spider man pj's. I'm going to go talk to Anna for a minute."

He made his way downstairs. "What is the verdict?"

"My mom said that he can have Gravol, we just need to keep an eye on him. And she told me to tell you that for a genius you are pretty stupid sometimes."

"I know... does she know about?..."

Anna shook her head. "No, I'm going to wait for this night to be over before I tell anyone else. Right now, this is all I can deal with." She motioned to the spaghetti covered kitchen. Reaching into a cupboard she grabbed a glass and filled with with Gatorade. "Give him this to take the pill with. It will help restore his electrolytes."

Spencer took the glass and kissed her cheek. "You are going to be a great mother, Anna."

"And as long as you don't give our kid a redbull you will be a great father. Now go, after you are done we will bathe Grace and Ricky."

/

After what seemed like the longest night of Spencer and Anna's lives, Ricky, Grace, and Andrea, had all been bathed and put to bed. It was a miracle that the permanent marker had come off of Grace.  
Finally Henry had gone to bed too, leaving the two adults with the mess that the chaos had made.

"Here, why don't I wash and you dry?" Anna offered, handing Spencer a towel.

"Sure." He took it. "Again, I am really sorry."

"Stop apologizing. I already told you it was alright." She poured the soap in the sink and watched it foam as the hot water hit it. "Tonight may not have been the most romantic of ways in which we could have spent our first anniversary, but, it will be memorable."

"That's for sure."

They spent the next few minutes in silence, washing and drying.

"So..." Spencer took a plate and put it in the cupboard with the rest. "we are going to be parents."

"Yup, looks that way. Are you afraid?" She placed a sopping wet pan in the drying rack.

"Terrified, you?"

Anna pursed her lips, a trait she had picked up from Spencer. "Same... but it is kinda too late to turn back."

"You could get an abortion. That's always an option."

She turned her green eyes onto him. "Never. I want to have children with you, and even though the thought of pregnancy and childbirth scares me... I want it."

"Good." He cleared his throat. "Anna, do you think we should get married?"

She froze. "Are you... is that... do you want to?"

"Yes, I do. The general convention is that once you have a child together it is acceptable to marry, well actually it is more acceptable to marry before conception of a child but we kinda jumped the gun on that one.  
Anna, I just know that I want to be with you for a really long time."

"Are you proposing?"

Spencer put the towel down. "I guess I am. Do you... accept?"

"Spencer William Reid. I have waited years to be asked that by someone, but... I want you to ask me properly."

"And," He gulped, he could feel his palms starting to sweat and his heart beating faster. Last time he felt this nervous was when Penelope had given birth. "what would be the... proper way?"  
Inside he could feel the 'love chemicals' his brain was pumping out mixing with the adrenalin that his nervous system was producing.

"Well," Anna bit her lip. "you would pick a moment that we would never forget..."

"Like tonight?"

"Yes, like tonight. And then you would go down on one knee."

"Like so?" Spencer knelt down in front of her.

Anna could feel her own heart racing inside of her chest. "Yes... and then you would ask me..."

Spencer looked up at her. She could clearly see the love she had for him reflecting back. "Ask you what, Anna?"

"To be your wife."

"Like this?" Spencer took a soap covered hand and smiled. "Anna Patricia Barnes, would you do me the honour of becoming my soul mate, my life partner... my wife?"

"Yes..." By now tears were streaming down Anna's face. This moment she had dreamed about since the first 'I love you' had finally come. "Yes Spencer William Reid... I will."

Spencer stood up and kissed Anna with as much passion as he dared. This night had gone far better than he had planned. Instead of dying or castration, he had a fiancee.


	21. 365

_Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter. It was actually very fun to write. Now, onward and upward to the next chapter. I can't believe this is chpt 21.  
Anyways, I do not know Criminal Minds. Sadly._

Penelope woke to the April sunshine streaming into her bedroom window. She put on her glasses and glanced outside.  
No clouds.  
Good.

Putting on her slippers she shuffled to the bathroom. She turned on the light and looked in the mirror. 365.

365 days ago, in the late hours of the night, she had given birth to two children that had changed her life for the better.  
Walking into the nursery she saw their Grandfather looking into the cribs, he had probably gotten up a couple hours ago. "Hi David."

"Hi Kitten. Hard to believe, isn't it?"

"Yes." Leaning down she touched Grace's cheek. "They are a whole year old..."

"I know." David wrapped an arm around Penelope's waist and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Kitten, despite almost losing you, that day was the best day in my life."

"Mine too."

They both watched as the babies began to wake. Moments like this were hard to come by in the chaos of the house and within their lives.  
"Here Gracie, come to Mommy. I'll give you a clean nappy and will get you ready for your big day." Leaning over she picked her daughter up.

"Momma!"

"Yes, Momma's here." Laying Grace down she removed the dirty nappy and replaced it with a clean one. "Alright Miss, what shall I put you in today? Seeing how the party is still a few more hours away, I think I'll save the pretty dress your Nanna gave you for later..."  
Taking a pair of small blue overalls and a grey shirt she slipped them onto her. Penelope brushed her hair and clipped it back.  
"There, you look presentable enough for now." She kissed Grace and handed her over to David. "Can you bring her downstairs and get her some cereal? I'll be down soon with Ricky."

"Sure. Come to Nonno, Gracie." He plucked her from Penelope's arms and playfully bounced her in his arms.

She squealed in delight. "Nonno! Nonno!"

Penelope smiled at the two before getting her son.  
"Hey Ricky. Your turn. Come here hun and lets get you ready so you can join your sister."

She slipped on a clean nappy and threw the soiled one in the trash, "So Mr. what to do with you... I think I'll put you in those tan overalls and a grey shirt. We'll save your little sailor suit for when I put Gracie in the dress."

Before she dressed him Penelope bent over and gave him raspberries, making him squeal and giggle. "Momma!"

Penelope slipped on the clothes. "There, now you are ready to start your big day. Come on and lets join everyone in the kitchen. I am betting your Nanna is already down there cooking something up."

Sure enough, Fran was making her famous breakfast dish: eggs, hash browns, ground pork, and cheese, all mixed into one giant bowl.  
"Morning you two."

"Morning Fran," She set Ricky into his highchair. "can you say hi to your Nanna?"

Ricky's face burst open with a giant grin. "Mning Nanna!"

"Good boy." She playfully bopped a finger on his nose. "Now how about we get you some Cheerios."

He gurgled in response.

His mom grabbed the cereal and put a small plastic bowl of it on his tray before grabbing herself a coffee.

"I can't believe it has been a whole year. Seems like yesterday they were in the natal ICU." Fran dropped a glob of the yummy mixture onto Penelope's plate. "Here, Dear. Eat up, you'll need your energy for today."

"Thanks Fran." She grabbed the plate and her coffee, and took a seat beside David at the table. "So, when are people supposed to be coming over?"

"Emily said everyone was coming around 11ish to decorate. And before you say anything J.J. is taking you and all the kids out for a bit before the party starts so they can decorate."

"But I want to help." Penelope pouted.

"No. You have thrown parties for everyone. Now, it is our turn to do the same for you and the twins. I advise you to go along with it."

"Alright." Penelope mumbled. She would go along with it, but it wouldn't mean she was happy about being excluded from the party prep.

/

At around 10 J.J. arrived with Will and Henry to pick up Penelope and the twins.

"Hey Penelope, ready to go?"

"Almost. Just want to get their outfits ready for when we come back. I am really not happy about being forced out of this. I should be doing this." Penelope grumbled as she laid out the dress and sailor suit.

"Who planned Henry's first birthday?"

"Me."

"And Andrea's?"

"Me."

J.J. grabbed her friend by the shoulders. "Does it not make sense that, after you planning all those events, you let us do this one little thing for you?"

She pouted. "A little... Alex and Em know that Gracie loves chocolate and Ricky hates it, right?"

"They know. I gave them the list a week ago. Don't worry. Now come on. I need to get you out of here before everyone else shows up."

/

About fourteen minutes later J.J. managed to get Penelope, Henry, Grace, and Ricky, all in the car. It was no easy challenge. Penelope had been talented in finding ways to delay her departure. In the end J.J. was almost ready to hog tie her and drag her out.  
"Alright, now that's over where do you want to spend the next forty five minutes?"

"Hmm... I am not sure. I know I want to spend it in the house," J.J. glared at her friend. "but, I know I can't so... let's visit Derek."

J.J. nodded her head in compliance. "Good idea." She put the car in drive and left the Rossi mansion as fast as the speed limit would allow her.

/

Penelope, J.J., and Henry stood in front of the stone. Fresh spring grass had begun to spring up from last year's dead patches. Beside the grave the young maple had grown a few more inches and sported the buds that would soon give way to new batch of leaves.

"Hey Derek." Penelope pushed a strand of hair from her face. "It's us. J.J., Henry, me, and the kids. It's their first birthday today."  
She knelt a little ways away the stone. "You remember that day, I know you do. You said you would always be watching over us. I've never doubted that for a moment, my love.

Penelope turned to Grace and Ricky who were holding onto J.J.'s hands. "Come here you two."

Letting go J.J. watched as Grace ran, and as Ricky stumbled his way, towards their mother.  
She wrapped her arms around them and drew them in close. "That's your Daddy." She used her head to motion to the stone.

Grace looked at her mom and then to the stone. "Dadda?"`

Penelope nodded, the tears had begun to form in the corners of her eyes. "Yes, that is Daddy."

Grace cautiously made her way to the stone. In her mind she had remembered something of this place from the few times her mom had taken her here... but something about this place made everyone sad, and Grace didn't like that.  
Touching the stone she was shocked. She expected it to be cold, like the morning air around her. But it was warm. And it felt familiar. The feeling surrounded her body, making it feel as if there was a pair of arms around her that she could not see. Her one year old brain couldn't fully comprehend the moment, but she knew something special had occurred.

She looked back at her brother, her eyes beckoned him to come forward so he could experience this too.

He came, and Grace took his chubby hand in her own and placed it on the stone. His eyes opened wide as soon as his hand made contact. He looked at Grace, his eyes filled with amazement. They were not identical, but they had spent their entire lives together, so there would always be some things that they never needed to verbally communicate to each other.

This was one of those.

The adults and Henry looked on. J.J. and her son were oblivious to what had just happened. But, Penelope knew that Derek had touched their children. She just knew.

She gave their children a moment before walking up and kneeling beside them. "This is Daddy... I know you feel him. Guess what? Grace, Richard, I feel him too." She reached over and placed her hand on top of their children's. Closing her eyes she went back to the moments since Derek's death and allowed herself to open up that hidden part of her heart. They stayed there for a few moments. Frozen in the moment.

After a while, Penelope picked Grace and Ricky up in her arms and nestled them on her hips, she glanced on last time at the stone before turning around and walking back to the car. It was time to properly celebrate today.

/

Walking through the arches with her babies nestled on each of her hips, Penelope gasped. The yard had been decked in pink, blue, and white. It looked far better than she thought it would. In her arms Grace and Ricky's eyes lit up at the sight before them.

The somber moods that had hung over them on the car ride home vanished and was replaced by feelings of excitement and happiness. All around them were people they had known all their lives and their attention was solely on Ricky and Grace.

Penelope let her struggling children down, as soon as their feet touched the ground Grace made a be-line to Spencer and Ricky went straight to his Nanna.

"Hey there sweetie." Spencer picked Grace up and the little girl snuggled into his chest. "You're getting to be such a big girl."

Anna smiled, stroking Grace's hair she looked at the pair and allowed her mind to wander to thoughts of him holding their first child.

Fran knelt down and scooped up Ricky. "Nanna."

"Hi little guy. You look so cute in that suit." She tickled Ricky under his chin, causing the child to giggle.

"Hey Penelope," Will called. "I've been put on bbq detail again, do you want anything? You must be famished after chasing those two terrors around."

"Sure. If you have one ready I'll take a hot dog for the kids."

Grabbing a knife, another plate, and two forks from the table she sat down and began cutting it up into tiny pieces.  
"Fran, Spencer, if you can, bring them over here. They're gonna want their lunch." Her breasts ached to feed them but she had started the weaning process. Penelope would have to ignore the ache for now and accept that another tie with her babies was about to be severed, by her.  
Once the two were seated beside her with Fran and Spencer, Penelope went to go get herself something to eat.

Grace reached over trying to pull the plate towards her. Spencer took her hand and pulled it back. "No sweetie. You need to let your brother have some of it too." Spencer reached over and slid half of the hot dog onto the spare plate. "Here," He forked a small bit of hot dog and placed into the eager mouth. "you like that, don't you Gracie."

"How are you doing over there Fran?"

The older woman smiled. "I am doing just fine. You forget young man that I've raised three babies. It is you, Spencer, that should be paying attention." She picked up a piece of hot dog. "Do you want this Ricky? I think you do."

/

Aaron had stepped inside to check up on the bakers.

"Hey ladies, how are things in here?"

"Fine. We are just putting the finishing the cakes. What do you think?" Emily stepped back to enable Aaron to see her work.

He looked over the two cakes. They had begun to decorate one with pink and white icing, the other was already covered with white and blue. Both had been baked in the shape of a '1'. "So far they look good."  
"Chocolate for Grace's?"

Emily nodded.

"Vanilla for Ricky's?"

Alex nodded.

"Good, if we didn't get everything just right, I doubt Penelope would have allowed us to do anything like this again." He dipped his finger into the bowl of pink icing. Before he could pull it out Emily had slapped his hand with a spatula.

"No, bad FBI agent. This is for the cake."

"I just needed to conduct a quality assurance analysis to make sure the icing was... sugary enough."

"Trust me Aaron, it is sugary enough." Alex turned Aaron around and began pushing him back outside. "Now go and enjoy the party, we have everything covered in here."

"Can I at least take Andrea off your hands? It looks like she is getting a bit antsy just sitting in her high chair."

"Sure," Emily began to spread the pink icing onto the cake. "just keep an eye on her out there."

"Of course, now, come here missy and I will get you away from here." Aaron lifted the little girl up.

"Good," Alex took the canisters of sprinkles from the drawer. "he's gone. I know this will sound sexist, but I can see why my mother banned my father from the kitchen."

"I know. Here, I'll finish icing Grace's cake. You take care of the lettering on Ricky's. We need to get this finished before the birthday momma comes in."

/

Penelope watched as Grace, Ricky, and Andrea, played in the sandbox. They all had such different personalities. Ricky was quiet and reserved, not liking any change in his life. Grace was bold and daring, not afraid to take a risk. And Andrea, Andrea was kind and gentle, not as bold as Grace, but not as cautious as Ricky.

Maybe that is why the three of them got along so well.

She leaned against the fence, closed her eyes, and recalled the first moments she held her babies.  
The shock and wonder that flooded her heart when she held Ricky. He looked so much like his father, and with each passing day he looked more and more like Derek.

The wonder and amazement when she held Grace. She could tell from first glance that her daughter would be unique. Ricky may have looked like Derek, but Grace behaved like her father. And despite the challenges of keeping up with Grace, she had no wish to ever break her daughter's curiosity and spirit.

In her mind she knew that the pivotal moment would stay etched in her mind for the rest of her days, but she couldn't help but wish that she could re-live it for real, at least one time.

Her hands moved towards the scars that laid buried under her clothing. One marking the first time their father had confessed his love for Penelope, and the other marking the day in which the fruits of that love came into the world.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Penelope opened her eyes and looked at J.J. "Yeah, I was just thinking of when they were borne. It was... so hectic. When my... when my heart stopped... I thought about giving up. I remember. I remember being given the temptation of staying with Derek... or coming back. It felt like a dream, and I know I sound crazy, but I know there was some reality to it.  
I remember thinking, of how nice it would have been just to give up. And after, the thought still crossed my mind. But, looking at them now, I am glad I didn't give up. He was right... this was far better."

J.J. reached around Penelope and drew her close. "We are all glad you stayed. And I can tell your new godson will be very happy that his fairy godmother will be there to spoil him." J.J. winced as she felt the baby inside of her kick in response.  
"Yup, very happy."

"When are you due? I know you told me but it didn't stick."

"June. I'm happy that I won't be pregnant during the whole summer. I remember doing that with Henry and it... sucked."

"Penelope. I think the girls are gonna be bringing out the cakes. You might want to wrangle your babies."

"Thanks Will. I'll take care of Grace, J.J., can you get Ricky?"

/

The candles had been lit, and the cakes had been placed on the picnic table."

"Who's first?" Aaron asked.

"Well, Ricky was borne first... it makes sense that he would blow out his candle first. Here sweetie, come to mommy." She took Ricky out of Fran's arms and leaned towards the cake. "Ok buddy, see that candle? You need to blow it out. Do you think you can do it?"

Ricky clapped his hands in response.

"I take it as a yes. Ok, on the count of three. One. Two. Three."

With the help of his mom, Fran, and J.J.,, Ricky blew out his candle while the cameras flashed around him. Looking up he gave the guests a grin, showing off the teeth that had come in.

"Fran, do you want to hold him again while Gracie blows out her candle?"

"Sure Dear, hand my Grandson over here." She took Ricky and snuggled him. "You're officially a year old buddy."

Spencer handed Grace to her mother. Who straitened the pink bows in her hair. "There, picture perfect. Now, Gracie, your turn. Are you ready?"

Grace looked around at the guests and squealed.

"I think that counts as a yes. Alright. On the count of three everybody. One. Two. Three!" Leaning over, Grace, Penelope, and Spencer, blew out the candle as the rest of the party cheered and snapped pictures.  
The little girl looked at the cake, took one handful, and smushed it into Spencer's face. She let out a giggle at the sight of her uncle's normally clean face, covered in chocolate cake and pink icing.

Smiling, Anna took her camera and snapped a picture before her fiancee could wipe the cake off.

"So, who wants cake?" Will asked, knife in hand, ready to start cutting.


	22. Accident

_Jumping ahead a few years here... Ricky and Grace are now four and their extended family has expanded. Will and J.J. had another son: Austin. Spencer and Anna had one daughter: Katherine (Kat), and have another on the way.  
Sorry about the delay, I wrote another chapter ahead of this one...  
Anyways, as usual thanks for the awesome support. And... I do not own Criminal Minds._

"Here's one decaf coffee with two sugar and three cream for Anna, one black for Will, and one two cream two sugar for me." Penelope placed the cups one by one the table before taking a seat. They had opted to sit outside in order to properly enjoy the weather while the children played.

"Perfect, thanks Penelope." Anna wrapped the hand not holding Kat to her body around the warm cup.

They all leaned back in their chairs. Anna, who had Kat in her arms, adjusted so her pregnant belly had enough room. And Austin had snuggled into Will's arms.

On the playground the older kids were busy playing and enjoying their Saturday afternoon.

"Any word from the team?" Will asked.

"No. Last time I heard they were close to catching the UnSub, but that was a couple hours ago. No one has called me for my services since."

He sighed and looked over to his son playing. "I worry about her when she goes away. I know it is impossible but sometimes I wish she stayed closer to home."

"Nope. There is no way Aaron will let her go, again. It was hard enough having her away when she had Henry, and Austin, and when she was let go..." Penelope pouted. "I swear, Jordan Todd spent the entire time J.J. was away with Austin glaring at me..."

"That's because she had that huge crush on Derek that no one knew about." Will winked at her. "She's probably jealous that you ended up with him and not she. And I know that J.J. sticking close to home is a pipe dream; but a man can hope."

"You could get her pregnant again." Anna offered. "That would get her close to home for a little while."

Penelope playfully smacked Anna. "No way, that would mean we would get Todd back."

"Hmm..." Will pondered the idea. "it would mean I would get more action. And we do make beautiful babies. You said that yourself, Penelope, when Austin was borne. But," He looked down at his sleeping son. "I think we'll wait until this one is a little older."

"Good." Penelope triumphantly sipped her coffee. "At the rate we are going we will spawn a whole FBI department."

Anna's eyes snapped up. "There is no way any of my babies are joining the FBI."

"Come on Cherie, you can't honestly say you wouldn't prevent them if they wanted to."

"If it was something they really wanted then yes, I couldn't deny them. But I am not going to encourage it. I never want my babies to be in any danger." She hugged tighter onto Kat.

"I know hun, I don't want Henry in any danger either, but sometimes you have to let them go and do their own thing. My daddy didn't want me to join the force but he never prevented me from doin' it."

Penelope was about to input her own ideas on the matter, but a cry from the playground interrupted her.

The heads of all three adults snapped towards the noise.

"Dad," Henry was out of breath. "you have to come quick. Ricky fell off the playground and I think he is hurt real bad. I-"

Penelope was up and running before Henry had finished talking. Her baby was hurt. Her gentle, innocent, kind baby, was hurt.

"Momma!" Grace ran up to her mom, tears in her eyes. "He's hurt... Momma, he's hurt."

"I know baby, go to your Aunt Anna, Uncle Will and I will take care of Ricky." She shooed her daughter away before rushing to her son's side.

He was laying on his back, there was a large cut on his forehead that was bleeding profusely, but she knew head injuries often looked worse than what they were. What really caught Penelope's eye was Ricky's left arm. It was twisted in a way she knew it was not supposed to be.  
Every fiber in her body wanted to pick Ricky up, but she knew his neck or spine could be injured and doing so could hurt him even more. Penelope quickly checked his body for any injuries hidden under his clothes. He began to stir as she made her way up his body.  
"Shh... Momma's here. Don't move ok? Everything is going to be alright, but you can't move."

"My arm..."

"I know sweetie, I know." She knelt in front of his head and stabilized his head and neck with her hands. "Don't move. Your Uncle Will is coming. Everything is going to be alright."

"Is he ok?"

Penelope shook her head. Trying to remain calm. "No. I think his arm is broken. Go in and call an ambulance."

"Anna already did. One is on it's way." Will knelt beside Penelope and rubbed her back. "It's gonna be alright. If you want I can take over."

"No, I'm not moving until the MT's get here." She turned her attention back to Ricky. "It's going to be ok Ricky. Help is on it's way."

In a few minutes they heard the wail of the ambulance coming closer. It seemed like a lifetime before a paramedic knelt beside Penelope and replaced her hands with his. "Miss, it is going to be alright. We just need to put a brace on his neck. Can you tell me what happened?"

Penelope sat on the ground, still watching her son. "They were playing... and he fell. I don't know how... or why... I just rushed over here as soon as I was told he was hurt."

The man steadied Ricky while his partner slipped the small brace onto the boy's neck. Soon, they had him on the stretcher.

"I'm riding in the ambulance." Penelope demanded. The younger MT gave her a look and was about to object but she cut him off. "I'm his mother, I'm coming with him." She looked outside at Will. "I'll meet you guys at the hospital."

/

In the emergency room the doctor checked Ricky over as Penelope stood in the corner, shivering with fear. Instantly she was brought back to the day she lost his father... the raw pain that she harboured began to make it's full presence known once more.  
Gulping, Penelope pushed it back. She couldn't break down in front of Ricky. She had to be strong.

"Is he... is he going to be ok?"

The doctor glanced over from the x rays. "Your boy is really lucky. A fall like that could have done serious damage to his spine. But, all he ended up with was a broken arm and a few stitches."

Her eyes lit up. "You mean he is going to be alright?"

"Yes Ms. Garcia. He just needs a cast on his left arm and what looks to be six stitches in his forehead."

Penelope breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank you Dr."

"Here," The doctor took a sterile cloth and handed it to Penelope. "you should wipe your hands off."

She looked down and for the first time realized they were covered in blood. Ricky's blood. Once again she was drawn brought back to the past.

_The heavy footsteps behind her became louder as Derek approached. "It sucks, doesn't it?"_

"_What?"_

"_Just knowing we couldn't have done any of this without you."_

_She scoffed at him and a small smile spread across her dark red lips. "Yes, pretty much."_

"_I'm proud of you Penelope." She could hear his steps getting even closer to her. "Despite everything that happened you came back. And you got the job done."_

_Penelope sighed before answering him. "The sight of blood used to make me run away, and two nights ago I ran towards it." She turned to face him when she felt his hand on her shoulder._

"_It means you are changing into someone stronger than you realize. You cared enough to risk your own life to try to save someone else."_

_She could feel the fear rising up. "Yeah, but what's the difference between being strong... and being jaded. I'm scared Derek, I don't want to lose who I am just so I can do this job."_

"Momma?"

She snapped back when she heard her son's voice.

"I'm here baby." She quickly wiped as much blood off that she could and walked up to Ricky. She took his small right hand in her's while the doctor stitched his forehead. "Momma's here."  
Derek had been right... back then she had been changing into someone stronger. Today she had been strong enough to push past the sight of her own son's blood to help him, and she had been strong enough to put on a facade of bravery to steady her son's fear.

"Where's Nonno?"

"I'm here."

Penelope looked over to see a ragged David standing in the doorway. "David..." She could feel her resolve breaking.

"We just got back... what happened?"

"He was playing with the other kids in the backyard and he fell off the playground... the doctor says he is very lucky..."

"Richard is indeed a lucky boy Mr...?"

"Rossi."

"He will have a neat looking scar on his forehead," The doctor looked down at the boy and winked. "and a cast for a couple weeks, but this little guy will be alright."

"Thank god." David walked up to Penelope and slid an arm around her. "If you want I can take over here."

"I'm fine, but thanks David..."

He placed a hand on her chin and moved her eyes to him. "Go. You need to take a break. We will be fine here, won't we?" He looked at Ricky.

"Yes... but please don't go far Momma."

Penelope squeezed her four year old son's hand before letting go. He may be gentle... but her son was far from weak. "I'll be close by if you need anything."

"Kitten, go."

/

She stepped outside the room to see the team and their extended families waiting. Penelope felt a pair of strong arms around her. She didn't know whose arms they belonged to, but she melted into them and let go of the tears she had been holding in.  
Clinging onto the black jacket she sobbed.

"My baby..."

"Momma? Is Ricky ok?"

She dried her tears and composed herself the best she could. Letting go of Aaron she knelt down. "Yes, he will be ok."

"I was scared Momma..." Grace clung onto her mother and buried her head into Penelope's chest.

"I know... I was scared too..."

"What happened to him?"

Penelope brushed back a lock of her curly black hair and looked into Grace's face. "He has a broken arm and a nasty cut on his head. But your brother will be alright."

"Momma, you have blood on your face... are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok." She glanced up at the group of people before her. "Ricky will be alright, you can go back home if you want. David and I have it covered."

"We'll stay here P.G." Emily smiled. "You need us."

"Thank you..."  
Penelope stayed in the waiting room huddled with Grace for a few more moments before going back to her son. Before going back into the room, Penelope turned around and looked at her family.

She grinned as Henry wrapped his arms around her daughter.

/

"How are things in here, David?"

"Good, they are just putting on his cast." He motioned to the nurse who was wrapping Ricky's arm in plaster.

"Nonno says that everyone will write on my cast."

She looked at her son and smiled for the first time in hours. "I don't think there is enough room on there for everybody's signature."

"We'll make room, Kitten. Won't we buddy." David ruffled Ricky's curly hair, careful of the new stitches. "How is Grace holding up?"

"She's scared, but she is doing well." Penelope leaned against the white wall. "I always thought Grace would be the first one with stitches... she's the one that takes the most risks..."

"What can I say, this little guy is full of surprises, aren't you?"

Ricky turned his hazel eyes to his mom. "I'm sorry if I scared you Momma."

"It's ok. All that matters is that you are alright."

"Was Dad get hurt a lot?"

Penelope balked at the question and took a moment to think before answering. "Yes, he did. Your father was a risk taker."

Ricky cocked his head. "Like Grace?"

"Yes, like Grace."

"I'm not like that, am I?"

She walked up, took his head in her hands, and kissed the side of his forehead that wasn't stitched. "No, you are not like that, usually.  
But you are like him in so many other ways. You are kind and honourable. You are every inch your father's son." Penelope stroked his cheek. "Every time I look at you and Grace, I see him."

"Ms. Garcia, Mr. Rossi, this little chap is ready to go home. Just keep an eye on him. If Ricky complains about a bad headache, bring him in right away."

"How about it you two, let's go home."

/

That evening Penelope curled herself up in a chair by the fireplace. Her hot chocolate steamed inside the cup beside her.

"Rough day."

Penelope grunted as David sat in the chair across from her. "That is a major understatement."

"It worried me today when you didn't answer your phones." He leaned back into the chair. "I thought something happened to you."

"I almost wish something did..." She played with the book in her hands. "Seeing Ricky on the ground..." Penelope blinked away the tears. "It's the first time either of them have been hurt so badly. I mean there are the usual scrapes, bruises, and such, but... it was bad this time."

"I know. It hurt me too." He took a sip of his tea. "But we should be happy that is is alright. You were amazing."

"If I am so amazing then he wouldn't have gotten hurt." She scoffed. "I feel like such a horrible mother sometimes..."

"Kitten," David's voice took on an authoritative tone. "no one can't protect them from all harm, not even you; we both know that. But, you are not a horrible mother. You are, a wonderful mother. Your children adore you, they are happy, and you encourage them to find their own identities. And after what happened today, I know you doubt yourself. But please don't."  
He rose up and took a bottle of scotch and two glasses from his cabinet. "Remember the first time I offered you this?"

"Yes."

David poured two glasses and put one in front of Penelope. "Here, now stop dwelling on the bad. And start looking at the good."


	23. School

_Good morning, darlings. It is time to jump ahead a bit and do some time travel: to the first day of school for Ricky and Grace. How will everything go?  
And a thought occured... this is about 70,000 words right now, which means Spencer could read this entire story in less than 8 minutes. Eep!  
Anyways, I do not own Spencer Reid or Criminal Minds. Enjoy!_

Penelope Garcia trudged up the stairs. It was 8:00am and they needed to be out the door soon... as in now. David had been helping her get them ready, but even so, it had taken longer than Penelope thought it would.

Walking down the hall she stopped outside of Ricky's room, knocking, taking a moment before entering. Penelope remembered when she was a kid and the family's Open Door rule... her parents didn't believe in privacy... there were one too many times they entered when she wasn't... prepared for them. She had vowed she would give her children as much privacy as she could.

"Hey David, do you have him ready yet?"

"No..." She walked in to see David standing in front of the closet and her son sitting on the bed in his superman underwear. "I have no idea what to put him in... all I see are... Spencer clothes."

"What's wrong with that?" Penelope asked as she selected a pair of pants.

"Do you really want him looking like Spencer Reid?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she pulled out a short sleeved dress shirt. "I don't mind. And it was you who turned down the shopping trip. I needed someone to take him shopping... I have no idea what boys like... and Spencer was the only one available." Penelope finished the outfit with a sweatervest and a pair of socks. "Here buddy."

Ricky looked at the socks and shook his head. "They match. Uncle Spencer says matching socks are bad."

"You see what I have to deal with Kitten? I tried getting him into a nice pair of jeans and his one nice polo shirt but no, he wants to dress like Uncle Spencer."

"Ok then." Penelope took out another pair of socks and switched one of each pair. "There you go, Sug. Now do as you are told and let your Nonno help."

She turned to David. "I'm going to go check on Grace, you finish dressing him. After you are done there is a Spiderman backpack by the door with his lunch in it. Take it and get him in the van."

"Yes Mam."

Penelope shut the door and made her way to her daughter's room. She had laid out a purple dress that Fran had bought her last month when she visited. Hopefully she would be wearing it.

Once again Penelope knocked on the door and waited before coming in. She couldn't believe it. Standing in front of her was Grace. In ripped jeans and a Redskins jersey, her lovely wavy hair had been pulled back in a ponytail.  
"Grace, what happened to that dress that was on your bed?"

"I didn't want to wear it."

"And why is that Grace Isabella Morgan?"

"It's too... girly. I won't have any fun in it because I won't be able to run around and play. And if I do try to play in the dress I'll only get it dirty and then you'll be mad."

Penelope couldn't help but smile at her daughter's logic. The last time she wore something nice she had gotten the hose ripped, and the dress covered in dirt within the hour.  
She was definitely Derek Morgan's daughter.

"Alright Grace," Penelope pulled out a pair of jeans from her daughter's dresser. "but at least put a nicer pair of jeans."

"Ok."

"Hurry. We are cutting this far to close for my liking." Penelope shut the door and made her way downstairs to get her work stuff from the computer room.

She grabbed her laptop, her tablet, and her two other cell phones, and slipped them into her bag. Penelope smiled as she heard her kids thundering down the stairs, their footsteps followed closely by David. "Grace, your backpack is the Transformers one, don't forget to take it!"  
Grabbing her coffee mug she made her way to the door. Checking, she saw both the backpacks gone along with three pairs of shoes.

Penelope had bought this nice four bedroom house a year ago; a couple months after Ricky's accident. Initially it needed some work done, such as new floors and drywall, which made it fit into her price range. It had been a lot of work but the BAU team had made a project of it and helped her fix it up enough so she and the kids could move in.

It had been perfect, enough room for her and the kids, a spare room in case someone's kid needed to sleep over, a study that Penelope made into her computer room, a big back yard for Cloony to play in and, the best part, it had a suite in which Fran could stay in when she visited.

Penelope often missed living with David, and he had been broken when she told him she was moving:

"_Kitten, why do you want to leave? Haven't I done everything to ensure the happiness of you and the children?" He leaned his elbows on the table and gave her a pleading look._

"_Yes you have David." Penelope reached down to scratch Cloony's head. "But I can't live here forever. We need to strike out on our own. And it is not like we are moving a state away, just a few blocks, max. You can come over or bring the kids here whenever you want."_

"_But... It won't be the same. I won't see them every morning... I won't get to help read them bedtime stories..." She could tell he was close to crying... and it broke her heart._

"_I know David. But you also won't have toys all over your house, you won't have to worry about making too much noise when Erin is over, and you can go back to hosting parties. It won't be all bad."_

"_Is there anything I can say that will make you stay here?"_

_She looked down at the table and sighed. "No. There isn't."_

But she was right, they had to strike out on their own. And it had been a good choice. The kids came to value the time they spent with David even more, and he got to be less of an authoritative figure and more of a fun person.  
But, last night reminded her of all the good things about living with David. It helped having a second pair of hands to wrangle her brood some mornings. Seeing how this morning had panned out, Penelope couldn't help but wonder how she would get through tomorrow with no help, especially if Andrea ended up staying over...

She turned the key in the ignition and turned around to check if her kids were in their car seats. "Are you two ready for your first day of school?"

"Yes."

"Alright, let's go!" She flicked on her MP3 player and blasted the music as they drove.

David watched as the houses passed them by. He had to admit, Penelope did pick a good neighbourhood for the kids.

/

At the school Penelope and David unloaded the kids and walked them to their classroom. Inside it looked cheerful enough. Nice posters decorated the walls, tiny desks sat in neat rows, and there was a nice little space in the back with toys.  
They would have fun here.

Kneeling down she took both of her kids into her arms and hugged them. Taking a deep breath she memorized, for the millionth time, their scents and the feeling of their small bodies.  
Pulling back she looked into their faces and forced a smile. "You two behave now, ok? Which means that you, Ricky, need to actually play with the other kids and you, Grace, no beating up the other kids." Leaning forward again she placed a kiss on each of their cheeks. "If you are good we will go out for ice cream after school, ok?"

Both Ricky and Grace nodded.

"And remember, after school it will be either me, your Aunt Anna, or your Uncle Will picking you up. Do not go with anyone else. Even if they say I told them it was ok."

"Yes Momma."

"Now, go and have fun, and behave. Listen to Mrs. Falk, and remember that I love you both."

David looked at the scene before him. He could tell that if she stayed there any longer she was going to cry. And if she cried, Ricky would too. The boy was codependent like his mom.  
"Hey Kitten, I need to talk to them too..."

"Oh right, sorry David." She kissed her babies again. "I'll see you after school." Penelope got up and stepped back to allow David his time.

How could they be going to school already? It was only yesterday that they were taking their first steps, saying their first words...

/

David knelt down on the carpet and looked into the faces of his grandchildren. "Do as your Mom says, ok. I will see you two when I get back from this case." He closed his eyes and hugged them. With them in his arms David couldn't help but think of himself as being truly blessed.  
He may have lost his son, and the wife he loved so dearly. But, he had gained a new family. One which he couldn't be more proud of.

Letting go he placed a kiss on their foreheads and smiled. "Your Dad would be so very proud of you right now."

"David... we have to go. We're late already..."

He waved a dismissive hand. "Aaron will understand." David turned his attention back to the kids. "I'll see you when I get back..." He ruffled Ricky's curly hair and chucked Grace on the chin. "I love you both."

"Can we play now?" Grace asked. "We want to play."

"Sure kiddo. Go play."

Both adults watched as the kids made their way over to the toy area.

"Let's get out of here Kitten, before we both break down."

"David, how did they grow up so fast?"

"I don't know..." He wrapped an arm around Penelope's waist and led her out of the room. It was going to be a rough day for the both of them.

/

At the office the two adults slowly made their way into the war room. The case Aaron had selected had already made it's way to their tablets.  
"You're late."

Penelope sat down in her usual chair beside Spencer and David sat beside Emily.

"I know Sir. And I am sorry... getting the kids ready took longer than I had thought... But don't worry, David updated me on the case while we drove here."

"Good. Now back to business. We have a request from the state of Arizona in regards to a rash of kidnappings over the past year that spans the entire state." Pressing a button Aaron flashed the pictures of more than a dozen children.

"Have they found any bodies?" Spencer downed the last bit of his coffee. Looking in his cup he couldn't help but feel disappointed. With two children under five years at home... his sleep pattern had been disturbed. His four cups had turned into ten.

"No, which is why we are considering a human trafficking ring."

David looked at his tablet. "I don't get it, you think someone would have seen one of these kids somewhere..."

"The UnSub is probably changing their appearance to avoid detection." Blake wrote down some notes on a scrap piece of paper. "Maybe cutting their hair. What I don't understand is that every one of the children has a different ethnicity, height, age, and there is no consistency in the victimology of the kids. It appears as if the UnSub has no preference at all."

Penelope picked at her nails. She never liked these cases, and on days like this one, she liked them even less. "Well, it is the super skeezy sex trade."

"Usually though, the sex trade demands someone of a certain ethnicity, age, or gender. It is not usually this... varied."

"Good point Rossi. That is why we are considering both a human trafficking ring, and a serial kidnapper." Aaron turned the power point off and got up. "Wheels up in 30."

Penelope began to get her stuff gathered but Spencer stopped her. "We all want to know how it went."

"Ok, well, you will be happy to know that Ricky is dressed just like you. Right down to the mismatched socks. And we need to talk about that btw, when I said take him clothes shopping I did not mean only get him stuff to make him look like you. But it is ok, because he looks adorable.  
And Grace," She pointed a finger at J.J. "I blame you for this. Instead of wearing the nice dress Fran got her she wore the jersey you got her last month at the game."

"Can't blame a girl for liking a good team."

"I know, but J.J., I wanted her to look... nice, just for one day."

"Did you cry? I know I did when Andrea started school." Emily looked around the room at the pairs of eyes staring at her. "What? Can't I get emotional over my kid?"

"It's just that we look at dead bodies all the time and you rarely blink. You hardly ever show emotion."

"Hey buddy." Emily poked him in the side. "Just wait until Kat starts school. Or better yet, get's married."

"School yes, I will probably become emotional. But married. She is never going to get married, ever. And the same goes for Jane."

"Hey, I said wheels up in 30," Aaron poked his head in. "let's get a move on."

The team grabbed their stuff and prepared to go. As they left J.J. ruffled Spencer's hair. "Keep thinking that."

/

Penelope resisted the constant urge to call the school and check up on her babies. She hadn't heard anything since she dropped them off and it was beginning to impact her ability to work. The sound of the phone broke Penelope from her mind.

"Greeting mortal, what may I do for you?"

"_It's Hotch, I'm going to put you on speaker."_

"Ok, what do you need?"

"_What? No snappy remark?"_

"To be honest Hotch, I am falling apart here. I have to use every fiber of my being not to call the school. I know I should have had trackers put in my kids... I knew it."

"_Garcia, calm down and focus. Grace and Ricky are alright. If something happened to them the school would have notified you. And I think that you could hack the security footage from the school, couldn't you?"_

"You see Hotch, this is what I mean. Normally I would have thought about that hours ago but..."

"_Ok, after this conversation call the school and check on them. Then I expect you to dazzle me with your talents."_

"Thanks..." She smiled at Aaron's break in character. "I am ready for speaker phone Mighty One."

"_That's better. Now I need you to do checks on all the children we know are missing and see if there is a link somewhere in their past. A grocery store their parents shopped at, a doctor, school, go back to when they were borne. There must be something connecting them."_

"_Garcia, it's Reid. Check the parents too and see if there is anything connecting them in their pasts. Maybe the parents are the targets... maybe the UnSub is kidnapping the kids to torture the them in some way..."_

"Sure, will do. Is that all my adorable Dr. and Supreme Being?"

"_For now yes. Call one of us as soon as you find a connection."_

"Roger that. Over and out."

As soon as she heard the dial tone she punched in the numbers for the school and began hacking the security footage. Looking through the cameras in their classroom she clearly saw Grace and Ricky calmly sitting in their seats.  
And eventually she was patched through to Mrs. Falk who put both her kids on the phone for a few moments.

Between the footage and the sound of their voices, Penelope had been assured that her kids were doing just fine without her. The realization both comforted her and saddened her. They really were growing up.

Turning to her many screens she began to search for that allusive connection. One way or another she was going to help all those children find their way back to their mothers. And when this case was closed, she was going to put tracking devices in her kids. After seeing one too many cases of missing children... she wanted to make sure that if someone did take Ricky or Grace, she would be able to find them.

After a solid hour of searching she found the link. Over the span of five years, all the children were borne at the same hospital.

She hit speed dial for Spencer while preparing to send the information out to the team.

"_What do you have?"_

"Ok, so finding a connection was not easy. I deserve a gold star for this. All your victims, they were borne at the same hospital, John C. Lincoln North Mountain. There is no connection between them and the delivery team though... it seems like the hospital is the only way to connect them."

"_Let me guess, you have already sent the address?"_

"You got it."

"_And I guess judging by your tone that everything is alright?"_

"Yes my lovely. I called the school and heard the sweet angelic voices of my babies and was ensure that they are alright. Is this all, or do you have more for me to do?"

"_That is all. If we need anything more, I know who to call."_

"Good, before I go, tell Hotch when you see him that I will be heading out around 3ish for a couple hours, but I will have my cell phone on me in case anyone is in need of my stellar services."

"_I will. Take care and say hi to the kids for me."_

"Will do. This is the Oracle of Quantico over and out."

/

3pm rolled around and Penelope had done a few more searches for her team. Sadly, even with her help, they were not any closer to solving the case, or cracking it.

Grabbing her bag she put in her tablet, laptop, and cell phones. Hopefully they would get a break tonight; while they were looking another child had been taken.

/

Penelope parked the van in the parking lot and went right inside the school. Standing in the doorway she took a moment to watch them play. They may push her nerves at times, and they may drive her insane, but they were her and Derek's genetically perfect offspring. And she knew no matter what, she would love them.

"Ricky, Grace, ready to go for ice cream?"

"Yay! Ice cream!" They both ran up to her and wrapped their arms around her waist.

"I missed you Momma." Ricky said.

"We played nice Momma," Grace looked up at her mother with her black eyes. "and I even got to write my name on the board."

"I did too."

"Mrs. Falk said she was impressed. I told her Uncle Spencer taught us, with your help."

Penelope laughed as she hugged her babies. "Ok ok. We just need to pick up Andrea. And your Uncle Spencer says hi to you two."

"Is Henry coming for ice cream too?" Grace's eyes lit up.

"Of course, we're going to meet his dad and Aunt Anna at the ice cream shop. Now, come on, let's round up your cousin."


	24. School Pt2

_Good morning from the great white north. Here is part 2 of the first school day. Thank you for the wonderful reviews. TheMysteriousGeek2345: I have the ending planned out and hopefully you will like it.  
As usual I do not own Criminal Minds.  
_

Grace plunged her spoon into her banana split and brought out a large spoonful of ice cream, banana, and strawberry topping. "So Ricky and me had our first day at school." She proudly announced to Henry.

"Yeah? How was it?"

"Oh, it was fun." With a look from her mom Grace swallowed her mouthful before continuing. "We were the only kids able to write our names. I told Mrs. Falk that Momma and Uncle Spencer taught us how to."

Henry took a bite out of his ice cream cone. "Uncle Spence is nice, isn't he?"

"Yeah he is, though Momma's mad at him because he took Ricky shopping and only got Uncle Spencer clothes." Grace licked the remaining strawberry glaze from her spoon.

"I can see." He licked a drop of ice cream from his hand.

"What is wrong with the way your Uncle Spencer dresses?" Penelope asked.

Grace looked up at her. "Nothin', but he kinda looks like a librarian."

Anna had to stifle a laugh. "No worries Penelope, my husband does dress like a librarian. A very sexy one." She winked at Penelope.

"I like dressing like Uncle Spencer!" Ricky piped up. "I think he looks cool."

"Can you pass the napkins Will, Ricky just got a glob of chocolate sauce on his shirt."

Ricky looked down. "Sorry Momma."

"It's ok Sweeite." Penelope took a napkin and wiped the brown glob off. "It'll come out." She put the used napkin away and put a few of the clean ones in her purse. "So, Anna, when is baby #3 due?"

"Dr. Pierce says it will be about seven months."

Will spooned some of Austin's sundae into his son's mouth. "That boy of yours sure keeps you busy."

The red head shrugged her shoulders. "I actually like being a stay at home mom. When these two are napping I get to work on research papers at home, in moderate peace." She waved a spoon at Penelope and Will. "And I think you two should also like that I stay home. Gives you someone to dump your kids on when you have to work."

"Remember the first time you and Spencer babysat the troop?" Penelope asked.

"Don't remind me." Anna rolled her eyes. "Between Grace spreading pasta sauce everywhere and Jack on redbull, I swore we were going to die."

"Hey Penelope, speaking of babysitting" Anna dipper her spoon in her sundae. "would you mind taking Kat and Jane next weekend? Spencer wants to go visit his mom and we need someone to watch the kids."

"Of course, but why don't you just take them with you?" Penelope took a sip of her vanilla milkshake.

"She's on a new regiment of medication and he is not sure how she is going to be." She glanced at her daughters. "If she... reacts badly, he doesn't want the kids to see it."

"Understandable. Just drop them and their stuff off, we'll make an extended playdate out of it."

"Here that Kat!" Grace squealed. "You're gonna stay at our place next weekend. You like it when you stay with us, don't you?"

The dark blonde grinned. "Yes!"

"It's settled then, next we- Oh my. I got to answer this, I'll be right back." Penelope took her work phone and left the table.

Will looked over at Penelope and sighed. "I sense you and Gracie will be coming over to our house for a spell."

"Momma has to go back to work?"

"Yeah, sorry son."

Grace pouted. "She always has to work. Why doesn't Uncle Aaron give her more time off?"

"Because Cherie, your Uncle Aaron needs someone like her to stop the bad guys. And your momma is the best computer genius there is."

Henry put a hand on her small shoulder. "Don't worry Grace, I have some new Legos that we can play with."

"Indiana Jones?!" Her eyes lit up.

"No, Star Wars."

She shrugged. "It'll do."

Henry turned to his father. "I'm trying."

"Hey twinnies. Mamma needs to go back to the office for a couple hours. Will, can you take them? I need to go back and do some extensive hacking on my work system."

"Sure Penelope, if you want I can order pizza for them, that way you don't need to cook dinner."

"Oh thank you Will. I can see why J.J. puts up with you." She dug into her wallet and pulled out some cash.

"You mean besides my accent?"

Penelope put the money down and grinned. "I thought she stayed with you despite the accent." She raised her hand and high fived Anna. "Anyways, that should cover the pizza. If it is not enough let me know. And if you come with me we can transfer their car seats into your van.  
Ok kids, come give Momma a hug before I have to go."

Ricky was the first off his chair. "Bye Momma." He leaned over and kissed his mother on the cheek before hugging her.

"I won't be too long, I promise. Now come here Grace."

Her daughter reluctantly got off her chair and came to her mother. "Bye." She gave her mom a quick hug. "Why do you always have to go... why can't you stay with us?"

"Because I need to catch the bad guys." Penelope stroked Grace's cheek. "I know it is hard. But I have to do it. I have an idea though, how about this weekend we just spend it together. No work. No cousins. No nothin' besides us. And we can do something fun, like laser tag or we can even go to the pool."

"Ok..." Grace hugged her mother again, this time with more feeling. "Just come back safe Momma."

"You know I always will."

/

Penelope sat down at her office. Before she started the extensive background checks on Diana Kevlen and Hank Barkley, she took the purple picture frame and sighed. Her babies were getting bigger with every passing day. Soon they would start asking even more questions about their father, about life, and about why she had to leave them so often. She only hoped that the answers she gave would be good enough.  
'Ok Tech Goddess, lets put down the frame, we have work to do.'

She began typing in the parameters of her search. Aaron wanted work histories, financial histories, and anything else she could dig up.

In the past she hated searching into people's backgrounds. She knew what it was like to have your past searched without you knowing it. That is how the FBI found her and that is how they were able to put her in this position.  
Over time she had come to accept that, in order to save lives, she had to put aside her own person issues with looting information and just do her job. As long as Aaron didn't expect her to profile, she was happy.

As she searched Penelope could find nothing to connect these people to the kids, they didn't attend any of the same groups that the victim's parents did, they were not connected to sporting teams, they were not even connected by the same high schools... no... wait. Penelope looked again.  
Fumbling she dialed Aaron.

"_Hi Garcia, what have you found?"_

"Ok, so it was uber hard to find a connection here because none of the victims crossed paths with either Kevlin, or Barkley. But, Kelvin and Barkley attended the same high school and graduated only a year apart.  
And a year later we have Kevlin with a record of miscarrying a seven month old baby. Records show, the baby which was a boy, died during an emergency delivery in 2000."

"_They are kidnapping girls and boys, so she can't be trying to replace a child..." _She could hear him banging a fist on something hard. _"Damnit, there must be a more solid connection, a reason..."_

"Give me a sec Sir, I think I might be having an idea." Penelope brought up the pictures of the victims. Something was very obvious, but yet it alluded her. "You know how you were obsessed with that penny when you were a kid? Well, maybe after losing their child... this pair became obsessed with collecting kids..."

"_If they are obsessed about collecting children... wouldn't they have disposed of them when they were too old to fit the fantasy?"_

"Good point." She chewed on her pen, ignoring the ink that was dripping out. "Let me do some more looking and I will get back to you. Before I let you go though... when you get back I want to talk with you about a personal matter."

"_That's fine, just please find the link that will break this case..."_

"Sure thing Boss Man. Hot Mamma over and out."

She got up and paced around the room. This method often helped her find an elusive crumb trail. If they collect children, they would have to keep them somewhere hidden. Either in a basement... no wait, a basement cell couldn't hold that many children. They would need a large section of secluded property that probably would not be in either of their names because that would make it far too easy.

Sitting down, Penelope searched property records for their families, and the surrounding areas. Only to find another dead end. No one owned property that was secluded enough. She banged her head against her hand in frustration. Nothing seemed to connect and she needed to go home soon.

On a whim she took another look at the list of jobs the UnSubs had, and something clicked. They both currently worked for a rancher. She dug for information on the employer and dropped her pen.  
Quickly, she dialed the first number on her speed dial. It didn't matter who picked up.

"_Hey Kitten."_

"Hi Rossi. Listen, I have some information. A break. The UnSubs don't have any property anywhere in their records that could hold that many children. But, there is a rancher that they both work for who owns a lot of land. He has a record for aggressive behaviour. Not sure if that means something, but his property could be what is needed."

"_Can you send me the address of the ranch?"_

"Sure. And be careful, I have a record from his bank accounts... he has bought a lot of guns and ammunition over the past year... He's also bought a lot of rare items... wow..."

"_Hotch thinks the UnSub may be a collector, this just confirms is. We'll check it out after we deliver the profile. And don't worry, we will all be careful."_

"Good. I'm going to go home now. If you guys need anything else feel free to call me. I'll use my home system if needed."

"_Go and spend time with the kids. We'll call if it is absolutely necessary."_

"Ok, remember, be safe. And tell Em that I'm taking care of Andrea so she shouldn't worry."

"_I will, now go!"_

/

She watched her kids playing in the LaMontagne living room. "I'm sorry I took so long Will. This case has been a hard one to crack."

"No worries Penelope. They have been having so much fun it didn't even matter."

Penelope bit her lip. "I still wonder how Aaron does this."

"Does what?"

"This single parent and full time work thing. I've been at it for five years and I still don't get his secret."

"His son and him have a special bond. Just like you and the twins do. They may seem upset at times but they'll understand. In the end we are all superheros to them.  
We all have our challenges as parents. Aaron, Emily, and you have the challenges of being single parents, J.J. and I, along with Spencer and Anna, have the challenge of keeping out families together despite the long hours and stress. Considering everything, I think all of us are doing a bang up job."

"When did you get so wise Will?"

"I don't know." Will leaned against the archway. "Anyways, I picked up Andrea's overnight bag and fed them. She's a little off tonight, I think she might be missing her Mom."

"Probably. Thanks Will."

"Hey kids, time to go. Your Momma's here. Andrea, go grab your overnight bag."

"Momma!" Both her kids ran up and hugged her.

"We had so much fun Momma. Henry let me play with his Legos and we built a death star!"

"And I got to read books with Uncle Will and Austin."

"Sounds like fun you two. Andrea, did you have a good time?"

"Yes Aunt Penelope. I played Legos with Henry and Grace. Is my mom coming home tonight?"

"No sweetie, but I think she'll be home tomorrow. You'll be sleeping over at my house tonight." Penelope often felt bad for Andrea. She was a good kid, and a happy one too. But she was so quiet and reserved. Something which Penelope thought she must have picked up from Em

"It won't be so bad. Now, come on you three. I still need to give you baths and read your bedtime stories."

/

Ricky was having his bath first. He insisted. During the day he always had to share his mom with his sister, Uncles, Aunts, Nonno, sister, and cousins. Bath time, he spent it with her, and only her. Ricky loved it.

"So, tell me again Ricky, what is your favourite part about school?" Penelope rubbed the kiwi scented shampoo into his hair.

"The books. There are lots and lots of books that Mrs. Falk says we can read. And there is this one about a duck that I really like."

"A duck? What is the story about?"

"Well, this duck goes for this looong walk and finds himself lost. And he needs to find his way back home before the fox gets him."

"Cool. Lean back now, I need to rinse out your hair." Penelope turned on the flexible shower head and washed the soapy substance out of his hair. "Does this duck get any help?"

"Yes. He gets help from a fish, some bees, and a horse."

"And does he find his way home?" She poured the conditioner onto her hands and applied it to his thick curly hair.

"Yes, right before Mr. Fox knocks over a bees nest and is chased away."

"Hun, I need to rinse this out too, lean back so it won't get in your eyes." Gently, she massaged and rinsed out the conditioner. "There. Now, we just need to take the soap and wash you."

"Can you use the soap that smells like Fruit Loops?" Ricky asked.

"Sure. But after, you might smell so yummy that I will gobble you right up." She tickled Ricky while playfully smacking her lips.

Smiling, she grabbed the soap and began to clean him.

"Momma?"

"Yes dear?"

"I really like bath time, because I get to spend time with you. I love everyone, but it is nice to just be with you."

"I know, I enjoy it too Ricky. Now, let's rinse off the soap and dry you. Then, we need to cut those finger nails of yours."

/

Sighing, Penelope drew the last bath for the night. It was physically and mentally exhausting getting three kids to bed; thankfully Andrea's teacher didn't give homework on the first day of school, though Penelope couldn't think of any second grade teacher that would.  
"Andrea, time for your bath."

"Coming." The slender girl walked in. "You know Aunt Penny, I've been thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"About our family." Andrea slipped into the tub. "We are like a pride of lions."

Penelope took the shower head and began to wet down Andrea's black hair. "How do you figure?"

"Well, a pride works together to stay strong, and you guys work hard for everyone. And a pride's lionesses work together to raise the cubs, and all the moms and dads in our family work together to raise us."

"You make a lot of sense, do you want the kiwi shampoo or the rose one tonight?"

"Rose please, it smells like my mom." Andrea closed her eyes as she enjoyed the feeling of Penelope's hands on her scalp. She was much more gentler than Emily. "I miss my mom when she isn't here. But, I know that she trusts you enough to look after me."

"And I trust her to look after Ricky and Grace. Now lean your head back."

"Aunt Penny, why doesn't my mom talk about my dad? Why doesn't anyone talk about him?"

"Well," Penelope knew she had to tread carefully with this. "why do you ask?"

"You talk about Uncle Derek all the time and you make sure that Ricky and Grace know who he was. But I hear nothing about my dad."

Penelope worked the conditioner in while she thought. "What has your mother told you about him?"

"Nothing." Andrea shrugged her shoulders.

"Ok, well, your father wasn't ready for a child, and your mom had to leave for a while so he never had the chance to meet you."

"But we came back. Does that mean he might want to meet me one day?"

Penelope bit her lip. "He won't. You're father died shortly before your mom moved back here with you. And even if he was still around, your father would not deserve to meet a daughter as wonderful as you."

"Do I... do I look like him at all?" Andrea looked up at Penelope.

"You have his hands and his nose, but that is about it. Lean back again."

"Could you... could you show me a picture of him sometime?"

"I would need to ask your mom. Now dear, I have two soaps, one that smells like Fruit Loops, and one that smells like lavender. I know you would pick the lavender but I am going to use... the Fruit Loops one because, my dear, you act way too grown up for your age."

Andrea grinned. This is what made staying at her Penelope's house so fun. She got to shake her serious side and was forced to be a kid. She had noticed that her Aunt had the same affect on her mother; after a night out with Aunt Penny, her mom seemed more relaxed and happy.

"Now, let's dry you off and get you and your cousins to bed."


	25. School pt3

_Another morning, another update. Thanks for the reviews, it makes the cold here a little less... chilly. So anyways, I do not own Criminal Minds. :(  
Enjoy!_

The next morning Penelope rolled out of bed, it took an effort to convince her body to do it. Last night the team had called her at 3am to use her services and she got back to bed little over an hour ago.  
This morning was going to call for more than just three cups of coffee.

Stumbling down the stairs she walked into the kitchen, pulled out a k-cup, and began brewing her coffee. While her machine did its thing Penelope went to the fridge and pulled out the jug of milk, along with her creamer. Shuffling she made her way to the cupboards and took out a red bowl for Gracie, a blue bowl for Ricky, and a green bowl for Andrea; along with a box of Shredded Wheat. And when she felt Cloony's nose rubbing up against her, she found her way to the pantry and scooped out some food for him.  
"You are lucky I can function this morning."

Grumbling Penelope made her way back to her coffee, took it, and sat down at the kitchen table. She was determined to enjoy a few minutes of solitude before having to wake the kids.  
Looking around the kitchen she sighed. The week had only just begun and her kitchen was already a disaster. To make matters worse she would be having Em and Andrea over for dinner tonight.  
Penelope knew what she would be doing when she got home today.

After a quiet half hour of coffee time and lunch making, she deemed it the right time for the monsters to arise. Dragging herself up the stairs she knocked on Ricky's door. "Time to get up Sugar."

She leaned her ear against the door and relaxed when she heard a muffled response and the tell tale sounds of her son getting up. A morning person, he was not.

Next was Grace. Her daughter usually had more vigour in the mornings than her brother. "Gracie, up and attem Sweetie." Again, she leaned her ear against the door, and smiled when she heard Grace stir.

Last came Andrea. Penelope knocked on the door and waited. She became worried when the child didn't respond. Penelope gave the door another knock before entering. "Andrea, are you alright?"

"My tummy hurts."

Penelope walked up to the bed and sat down beside the child. "Let me see." She put her hand on the girl's forehead. "You're burning up kiddo." Penelope carefully rolled Andrea onto her side. "Where does it hurt?"

"Here." Andrea pointed to her lower right abdomen.

"Sweetie, I'm going to ask you something and you need to be honest with me. Have you been feeling sick lately? Like 'pukey I don't want to eat sick'?"

"... Yes."

"Ok, wait right here, I'm going to go get a thermometer."

Getting up Penelope did her best to hide her worry, in her bathroom, she grabbed a thermometer and stuck it in Andrea's ear for a few moments before it beeped. Pulling it out she winced at the result: 102 degrees. "I'll be right back. I need to feed Grace and Ricky, and I need to call Uncle Will."

/

_"Hey there Cherie, what's up?"_

"I'm taking Andrea to the hospital." She poured the milk and cereal into the bowls and distributed them to the waiting mouths.

"_What's wrong?"_

"She has a pretty bad fever, a pain in her right side, and she feels pukey. It might not be anything serious, but I want to get it checked out."

"_Yeah, it sounds like appendicitis to me. Do you need me to take the kids? I can drop them off on my way to Henry's school."_

"That would be wonderful. I owe you big time Will. What time do you want them to be ready?"

"_I'll drop by in half an hour."_

"Ok, I will have the kids ready by then." Penelope hung up and looked at her two children. "Ok guys, Momma is going to need you to get ready on your own this morning. Andrea is sick and I need to take care of her.  
Do you think you both can get yourselves ready in half an hour?"

"Yes Momma. Is Andrea gonna be alright?"

"Yes Gracie. Now hurry up. I'll be in Andrea's room if you need anything."

/

"Honey, I'm back." She sat beside the little girl.

"I want my mommy."

"I know sweetie, but first we have to get you to a doctor."

"It hurts..."

Penelope rubbed Andrea's back in a futile effort to dull her pain. "I know..."  
She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Will come in the door. "Ricky, Grace, Uncle Will is here, you two better be ready!"

Will walked in and stood at the edge of the bed. "How is she?"

"She has a high fever and her side still hurts.. now that you are here, we better go. Come on Andrea." Penelope carefully scooped the kid into her arms and carried her down the stairs. Ricky and Grace stood by the door, ready to go.

"Is Uncle Will taking us to school?"

"Yes he is."

"Why does Andrea look so pale...?"

"Like I told you before, she's sick. I have to go to the hospital with her. You two go with your Uncle Will and do as he says." She bent over and kissed her kids good-bye before heading to her van. "Either me, Uncle Will, Aunt Anna, or Nonno will pick you up. Don't go with anyone else."

Once she had Andrea situated in her car seat, Penelope took out the two car seats for Grace and Ricky, and placed them by Will's van. Between him and Henry, they should be able to put them in without her. Penelope got in the car and checked on Andrea before driving away. "Ok Honey, let's get you to the hospital."

/

Penelope stood over Andrea, holding her hand as the doctor checked her over, answering whatever questions were asked. The kid seemed to be getting sicker by the moment.

"You were right to worry Ms. Garcia. I think she does indeed have appendicitis. We just need to wait until the blood work comes back for confirmation. Don't worry, I've put a rush on it."

"Can you give her something for the pain?"

"No, I don't want to chance it. The best you can do is offer her comfort."

"Mommy!" Tears were starting to stream down Andrea's pale face.

"Shh... I'm going to let Mommy know what is going on, ok? Just sit tight."

Penelope picked up her phone and dialed Em, praying she would answer.

"_Good morning Garcia. We're just getting on the jet, what's up?"_

"It's Andrea..."

"_Is everything ok?"_

"She woke up this morning with a fever and a pain in her right side. The doctor thinks it is appendicitis."

"_Oh my god... Can you put her on speaker for me?"_

"Of course." Penelope hit a button and instantly Em's voice filled the room.

"_Honey, it's me. Your Aunt says you are pretty sick."_

"Mom...?" Andrea groaned. "It hurts Mommy..."

"_I know. I'll be home soon. Hang in there. I love you so much.  
Penelope, can you take me off speaker?"_

"Sure. You're off."

"_Take care of her... I'll be there as soon as we land."_

"I'll treat as if she was one of my own. Oh, I think we just got the lab results back... I should go. I'll keep you updated."  
She hung up the phone and looked at the doctor. "What is it?"

"Andrea has appendicitis, but it looks like it hasn't ruptured yet." He turned to Andrea. "You little lady are lucky. I'm going to take you to another room and we are going to make you all better. Ok?"

Andrea turned her terrified eyes to Penelope. "Don't worry. I'll be there when they are getting you ready."

"I want my Mommy." The girl sniffed.

"She's coming."

Penelope stayed by the scared girl until they wheeled her into the OR.

/

She waited in the small corner dedicated to family members; trying to recall the happier times she spent here. The birth of Spencer's two girls, the births of her godsons, and the birth of her own children. It seemed that the visits here alternated between good and bad.

"How is she?"

Penelope looked up to see a worried Emily Prentiss.

"Haven't heard anything yet."

"When did she go in?" Emily nervously crossed her arms.

"About two hours ago. Where's everyone else?"

"Coming. They should be here in a few minutes."

Emily's resolve which had been strong on the plane ride home, finally collapsed and the tears that had been at bay, cascaded down her face.

Penelope got up and wrapped her friend in her arms. "She'll be ok. They said that it was caught before it burst."

"How... how did I not see this." Emily buried her head into Penelope's shoulder. "I'm her mother, I should have seen something."

"You know how you are so good at hiding your emotions and feelings? She's like that too. Andrea hides her fears and feelings." Penelope pulled back and looked into Emily's eyes. "She tries so hard to be like you because you are her role model. I'm not saying this is a bad thing because aside from myself there is no one else in the world that would be a better person for Andrea to look up to."

"Andrea Prentiss?"

The two women let go of one another and turned their attention to the nurse in surgical scrubs.

Emily dried her tears and stepped forward. "I'm her mother."

"I'm happy to report that your daughter is just fine. The surgery went well and she is in recovery right now, and if you wish I can take you to see her."

"Yes," Emily's sighed in relief, and a smile spread across her skin. "of course I would like to see her."

"Then step this way Ms. Prentiss."

Penelope smiled and the feeling of relief flooded over her. Washing away all the worry and stress of the day.

"Hey, how is she?"

"She's fine. They're both fine." Penelope replied to Spencer.

Aaron was right behind Spencer, along with J.J., Alex, and David. "Was it appendicitis?"

"Yes, but they got it in time. Andrea is just in recovery and Em is with her. Aaron," Penelope motioned for her boss to step closer. "About that talk, given the circumstances of today, could we put it off until this is all over?"

"Of course."

"Now, I know all of you have your own families to be with, so go."

Spencer opened his mouth in protest but Penelope stopped him before anything was said. "Dr. you have a pregnant wife and two little girls at home that want their dad. Aaron, you have Jack who I know misses his superhero father. David, you have to go and pick the kids up from school. J.J., Will saved my butt this morning with the kids, he deserves to have his wife at home, and you have those boys waiting on you. And Alex, your husband is home for only a week, considering our work schedule, I think you better go home and get as much time in as possible.  
Now go."

/

Spencer Reid walked through the door of his Victorian home. His go bag barely had time to hit the ground before he was knocked over by Kat.

"Daddy! You're home!" She wrapped her little arms around her and nuzzled into her father's neck. "I had ice cream yesterday with Mommy and Jane, and today I read two new books. Mommy says tonight you are gonna tuck me in!"

He laughed and put his arms around Kat, hugging her close. "I will. How about Chaucer tonight?"

"Yay! I love Saucer!"

"His name is Chaucer, sweetie."

"Saucer!"

"Welcome home."

Spencer looked up to see his beautiful wife holding Jane, the slight curve of her belly hinted at the still new pregnancy. Instantly he gave up the Chaucer/Saucer battle.  
Struggling, Spencer pulled himself and Kat off the ground. "It is good to be home." His heart fluttered when Anna softly kissed him.

/

"Jack?" Aaron walked into his apartment and dropped his bag on the leather couch. "Buddy, are you home?"

"Dad, is that you?"

"Who else would it be?"

Jack ran around the corner and into his dad's arms. "I missed you dad."

"I missed you too buddy. How was it at your Aunt's?"

"Good, though it is nice to be back here with you. Her house is filled with... girls." Jack made a face to show his disgust.

"You're only 13, your opinions may change." Aaron breathed in the scent of his son. It was a perfect mixture of his, Haley, and Jack's own unique smell. As much as Aaron loved his job, nothing pleased him more than coming back to his son.  
"Now come on, what do you say about burgers for supper?"

/

The two boys perked up at the sound of the car pulling up into the drive. Putting down their colouring books they ran to the front window to look.

"Dad! Mom's home!" Henry yelled.

J.J. opened the door and was ambushed by her two boys.

"Hey guys." She enveloped them in a hug and smiled. Her two boys always had been the shining light that helped her cope with the pain, blood, and guts, she had to wade through on a nearly daily basis.

"Mom, did you go see Andrea?"

"No Henry, but I saw Aunt Penelope."

"Did she say if Andrea was ok?"

"Andrea is going to be fine. Now give me another hug you two!" For a moment J.J. enjoyed the feeling of having her babies in her arms. Eventually she managed to let go, standing up she made her way towards Will.

"Welcome home."

"Urg, after everything we've seen over the past two days. It is defiantly good to be home." She gave herself over to Will and melted into his arms. The passion that burned between them all those years ago still managed to scorch the earth on which they stood.

/

"Andrew, I'm home." Alex walked into her apartment and proceeded to drop her bag on the floor and kick her shoes off. It had been a rough case for her. The UnSub had kidnapped the children, held them in dog runs until they became too big, and disposed of them in large incinerators. Between him and his two accomplices, she couldn't decide who was the more mentally ill one.

"I'm in the dining room."

It was dark in the apartment but Alex could see a slight glow coming from the dining room while she walked towards it. Stepping in she gasped. On the table was a bottle of red wine, two wine glasses, a table set for a lovely dinner, and her favourite food.

"Oh my... Andrew... you didn't have to."

"I know. But we get to spend such little time together. I figured that after the last couple of days you had, you would like a little something special."

She melted into him as his arms wrapped around her waist.

When they married it had been a spur of the moment choice of two very inebriated 20 something year olds, but it was the best choice Alex Blake ever made while under the influence of tequila.

/

David Rossi stood on the edge of the playground and watched the kids. Ricky was playing on the slides while Grace spun around in the tire swing. Though the laughter of a dozen kids echoed from the playground, he had no trouble picking out the sound of his grandchildren.

"Hey, you two hooligans!"

Both pairs of eyes looked at him. Soon David had two sets of small arms wrapped around his waste.

"Hi Nonno."

"Where's Momma?"

"Hi to you too. Grace, your mom is still at the hospital with Auntie Em and Andrea."

"Is she ok? Momma said she would be ok."

"She is fine Ricky. Now, how about we go back to my place and wait for her. I have some new toys for you two to play with."

Grace arched an eyebrow, a characteristic clearly begotten from her mother. "Not another Barbie?"

"No, a Transformer."

"Good. I love you Nonno, but I hate Barbies."

"I know. How do you both feel about some home cooked pizza for dinner?"

"We had pizza last night at Uncle Will's." Ricky said.

Grace quickly spoke. "But your pizza is better."

Ricky saw the glare his sister gave him. Normally he hated having the same dinner two nights in a row, but Grace was right. There was no pizza joint in the world that could match his Nonno's. "I want your pizza too."

"Pizza it is."

/

Emily Prentiss stood by her daughter's bedside, her hand still clutching Andrea's smaller one.

"I am so sorry sweetheart."

"Mommy?" Andrea began to stir. "My tummy still hurts."

"That's because of the stitches." Emily brushed a strand of hair from Andrea's face. "In a few days you are going to feel soo much better."

Andrea was making an effort to keep her eyes open. "I was soo scared Mommy."

"I know." Emily squeezed Andrea's hand. "But I'm here and everything is going to be alright."

"Mommy... I love you." Andrea gave into the temptation and closed her eyes, letting sleep take her into the land of dreams.

"I love you too, Sweetheart."


	26. Proposal

_I apologize if this is a super lame chapter. Our furnace went out a couple nights ago int he -40 weather here and it was one giant shit show after another.  
Anyways, for those of you wondering what Penelope wanted to ask Aaron... here it is. I hope you enjoy and again, if you don't like it I am super sorry.  
And as usual, I don't own Criminal Minds, if I did I would be in California where it is nice and warm._

Penelope knocked on the door and stood nervously outside. She was going to finally have this talk with Aaron and as it turns out, Strauss.  
"Come in Detective Garcia."

Slowly she opened the door, walked in, and took the seat next to Aaron.

"Agent Hotchner has informed me that there is something you would like to discuss with us." Erin took off her glasses and leaned forward.

"Well Mam," Penelope gulped. "as you know the BAU team has spawned quite a few little agents. And we have at least one more on the way. Dr. Reid's wife is expecting another baby... Anyways... I was thinking of that idea Agent Hotchner and I had a while back about starting a daycare facility.  
Back then, as I recall, you said there was not enough interest in starting one. But, hear me out, Agent Reid has two kids and one more on the way. Agent Jareau now has two kids, one of which would benefit from a daycare here at the FBI and both would benefit from afterschool care. Agent Prentis' kid would benefit as will my two.  
And Agent Anderson's wife just had another child bringing the total up to three Andersons that are under the age of five."

Penelope took out a list and handed it to Erin.  
"As you can see I drafted a rough list of people within the FBI's Quantico divisions that have expressed a serious want for a workplace daycare and afterschool care."

Erin put her glasses back on and took the list. "You certainly have done your work Detective Garcia. What is your opinion on this matter, Agent Hotchner?"

"In my opinion it would benefit the BAU team to have this service available, and it will benefit other members of the FBI as well. Right now my team is negated to juggling our kids from house to house when we are at work here and when we are away on a case. To have a centralized system where our children could stay would ease the minds of my team. And between Detective Garcia and myself, we have located two persons who are more than qualified for the position. They both already have security clearance and have expressed an interest in the positions."

"And who would that be Agent Hotchner?"

"Jessica Brooks, Haley's sister. And Anna Reid, Dr. Reid's wife" Aaron took out the credentials and handed them over.

"I remember them very well." Erin looked over the credentials. "You both realize that acquiring funding for this might be an issue. The board hates spending money on anything."

Penelope grinned. "Already taken care of Mam. I did some research, off the clock of course, and found that there is a program for government employees that allocates funds to help pay for a workplace daycare. The only requirement is that there needs to be a sufficient interest as in fifteen children or more. And in the BAU we already have nine children, and in a few months we will have ten.  
And for what is not covered by the funding, those using the daycare can help cover it."

"I am talking to the board of directors tomorrow. If you can draft an official proposal with figures I can bring you with me so you can present it. Keep in mind that though your idea is both a practical and sensible one, it might not get past the board." Erin handed back the papers to the respective people.

Penelope grinned. "I can do that, and I am sure it will go through."

/

"So?" Spencer leaned against Penelope's desk. "How did it go?"

"Better than I expected. I have to draft up an official proposal by tomorrow. Could you help me with the number crunching? You are far better at it."

"Sure, just give me the numbers and what you want done."

She picked up a stack of papers. "Here, I need you to figure out how many children in the company qualify for daycare, make sure to include those who would be in afterschool care. Also, find out how much that government program would cover, what the average salary is for a daycare worker, how much each person would be left to cover out of pocket, and make it sound as good as possible. I am sure the board of directors will comply with our wishes, I have dirt on over half of them, but having it look good will not hurt."

Spencer took the papers and began looking through them. "I wish Anna would go back to her regular job instead of doing this..."

Penelope began typing up an introduction for the proposal. "First you would have to stop getting her knocked up all the time."

"I can't help it. She looks so... angelic when she is pregnant."

"But you have put her on perpetual maternity leave."

"She needs something to challenge her mind though..." Spencer scanned the papers. "I fear that ten years from now she'll wake up and realize she wanted more from life."

"Hey," Penelope bopped Spencer on the head with her green cow pen. "being with kids all day is very mentally challenging. Remember the redbull incident?"

Spender pursed his lips. "I don't think anyone will let me forget that. And I would have been fine if Jack had not tricked me."

"You are right, we will never, ever, let you forget that. And Jack didn't trick you, he just played on your lack of knowledge on Pop Culture.  
Back to Anna. If you want her to go back to the museum you need to do two things: one, stop getting her pregnant with your little genius swimmers, and two, talk to her. I think you will find she is in the position she wants to be in right now. As for down the road, it is never too late for someone like her to pick up where she left off."

"I guess you are right. But still, I'm not sure this is what she wants."

"If this was not what she wanted she would have told you. Trust me. Now, lets get back to the task at hand."

/

Erin stood up, straitened her dress jacket, and stared ahead at the Board of Directors. "I would like to present Detective Penelope Garcia and Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid, who wish to present a proposal."

Penelope and Spencer stood up from their seats, and she looked at the people before her. "Esteemed members of the board, my partner and I would like to propose a plan which we feel would benefit a large portion of FBI employees, including our own department. My partner and I are both parents and as so, we have noticed that there is a need for a workplace daycare program. Members of the various departments are often called away on cases and they are left to deal with finding daycare and afterschool care for their children. This detracts from their ability to perform in the office and in the field.  
As you can see we have compiled statistics that support our facts. My partner will elaborate further on the need for such a program."

Spencer cleared his throat. "Over 64% of the FBI employees at this location have children and 52% of those have children that would qualify for both afterschool and daycare. And 79% of those eligible stated they would be in favour of such a program being implemented.  
Studies have shown employers that have these programs experience a more productive work force, and in addition experience a lower turnover rate.  
We both are aware that the financial aspect may be a factor in your decision whether to approve the proposal or not. To ease your doubts Detective Garcia has located a government program that would cover 75% of the costs. In order to qualify we would need at least fifteen children in the program. In the BAU alone we have nine children, and that number will soon be ten."

He looked at Penelope, giving her the signal to continue.

"As a single parent my time at work often conflicts with my schedule with the children. I need to take time off when I need pick them up from school and I need to take time to find care for them. If I had a place at work that they could stay after school I would be able to better dedicate my mind to my job and I would also be able spend more time conducting the tasks Supervisory Special Agent Hotchner assigns to me."

"Together with Detective Garcia we were able to determine that out of pocket expenses to the participants would be minimal. And, if you look at your proposals we have already located two persons who have already obtained security clearance with interest in heading the daycare and afterschool care programs."

An older gentleman took the paper and read it over. "Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Reid, I see you have both Jessica Brooks, Supervisory Special Agent Hotchner's former sister in law, and Anna Reid, your wife. Would it be wise to have someone so close to your own unit heading the daycare and afterschool programs?"

"Yes it would. Both persons are individuals whom we trust and who we know to be excellent at dealing with large groups of young children with varying ages."

"It looks like you two have done extensive research on this matter." An older woman took off her glasses and leaned back in her chair. "I am aware of the challenges you are faced with. When I started working for the FBI this would have been ideal for me. Your proposal appears to be sound. I for one am in favour."

The older gentleman who spoke earlier leaned forward and took off his reading glasses. "If the funding can be secured, I am also for it."

"It sounds like communism to me." Grumbled a middle aged man with black hair.

"It is actually more of a socialist program. And if you read the proposal Agent McKenzie you would find that many federal government agencies have such a program put in place." Spencer pursed his lips.

"I think this is a waste of money," The black haired man once again grumbled. "we pay our agents enough for them to be able to find alternative daycare and afterschool care."

"With all due respect Sir," Penelope looked him straight in the eyes. "the prime reason for this proposal is not in regards to the cost of such care but the time and energy that it takes to find such care programs that ultimately detracts from our work.  
Single parents like myself and Agent Prentiss, I am sure you remember her, have a much harder time in finding such care for our children while we are at work. And with our services being in such high demand it isn't logical to not give us an option that would allow us to work more efficiently and effectively."

"My partner is correct. As I previously stated the presence of such programs increases the productivity of employees. If you approve of this I estimate that the FBI Quantico office could see improvements within the work force in two years. If not sooner."

"I am a bit reserved at approving a proposal from agents belonging to the BAU. The number of times that team has stepped out of line..." A middle aged woman glared at the two. "I do not trust them."

Spencer flashed his brown eyes to her. "You may not trust our unit but we have a higher success rate than any other unit in Quantico. And may I remind you Agent Walsingham that it is not the conduct of our unit in question but the issue of childcare."

One of the more senior officials looked around his colleagues before turning his attention to Spencer and Penelope. "If you would, Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Reid and Detective Garcia, please step outside for a moment while we discuss the merits of your proposal."

/

Outside Penelope and Spencer waited anxiously to hear the verdict.

Spencer nervously played with his long fingers. "Do you think they will approve it?"

"I think so. We presented a sound case." Penelope kept looking at the giant doors that separated them from the discussion. "I'm not going to lie when I say that they scared the living daylights out of me."

"Likewise..."

"So, Spencer, given any thought to baby names?"

His face relaxed at the thought of his newest child. "If it is a boy I am partial to the names Patrick or Tyler. For a girl, Alexandra or Elizabeth."

"And what does Anna want?"

"For a girl, she wants Bridget or Kara, and if it's a boy she wants Andrew or Donavin. To be honest, I think I like her names better."

"Well, at least the two of you won't name your kid something silly like Apple." Penelope began to pace. "This is taking far to long. What is going on in there?"

"Try to relax. They are probably want to make us sweat. That way when they approve it, we will feel as if they have done us a favour. We sometimes use the same tactic on an UnSub."

Both eyes shot to the door as it creaked open; Strauss poked her head out. "They are asking for the both of you."

Cautiously the pair stepped inside and took their seats. Both looked ahead with no emotion.

"Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Reid, Detective Garcia. We have debated on your proposal and have reached a conclusion. Given the benefits this would have in regards to the employees of the FBI and the obvious demand for such a program we think that," Penelope and Spencer both took in a deep breath. "it would be a positive move to instate such a program. In order for this to work though, you will need to secure the funding. It you can do this we will implement your program."

The two BAU team members could not stop a smile from spreading across their faces. "Both Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Reid and I thank you for your time and consideration. I will personally contact you within a week in regards to the daycare and afterschool care program."

"Good, I will talk to you in a weeks time Detective Garcia." The man who had spoken waved his hand. "You both may leave now."

Triumphantly, Spencer and Penelope walked out of the room.

Once outside Penelope let out a squeal and hugged Spencer. "We did it."

He returned the hug for a moment before letting go. "No more having to juggle the children around!"

"I can't believe we did that..."

Strauss stepped out of the room. "Congratulations you two, I do not think I have ever seen them approve a proposal so fast."

"Section Chief Strauss, do you honestly see anyone saying no to me, ever?"

A rare smile spread across the older woman's face. "No, I can not. Do you think you can arrange the funding?"

"Of course. I already have sent a request straight to the head of the program for approval."

Spencer looked at them both. "I suggest we go tell the rest of the team the good news."

"Good idea, then afterwards in celebration we can go to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate!" Penelope grabbed his arm and started dragging him.

"Are you sure that is a wise idea Penelope? Taking all those children to a place filled with children?"

Penelope grinned. "That, is exactly why this will be such a fun night."

"And besides," Spencer really had wanted a quiet night in with his family. "why celebrate now, we haven't had the funding approved."

"Oh my dear, as I said before, who could say no to me?" Penelope looked back at Erin. "Mam, are you coming with us?"

"You two go ahead. I have some paperwork to catch up on." Erin looked on as the pair made their way down the hallway; sure the BAU team could be reckless and rash, but they were effective in everything they did because they had each other to lean on and to trust.  
Moments like this, she was proud to be the leader of their section.

/

Penelope had the team assembled in the war room, along with Kyle Anderson. His reproductive capabilities had helped secure the proposal so, Penelope deemed it right that he should join in.

"Alright BAU folks, I have some good news. Pending the government funding, we have the proposal for the FBI Quantico office daycare and afterschool care program approved!" Digging in her purse she pulled out eight little chocolate champagne bottles. "In order to celebrate we have these lovely little things." She looked at Aaron. "I know this is not really procedure but... we have so little chances to celebrate in this room."

Aaron took a bottle and smiled. "It is alright Penelope. I'll overlook this, just this once. When I get home I'll tell Jessica the news."

"Bottoms up people." Penelope put the bottle in her mouth and allowed the chocolate and champagne mix together. "This should have been done years ago."

"Tell me about it, I wish they had done this when Henry was a baby." J.J. chewed on the delight. "But at least it will be useful for Austin."

Emily elbowed Spencer in the side. "Pretty Boy, you better treat you wife like a goddess for helping us with this."

"So what your saying is I should make statues of her depicting her in prime fertile form?"

"No you goofball, what I am saying is that you should maybe take her out on a nice date, just the two of you. You know, have some adult time. Show her that you appreciate her."

"I do that all the time..." Spencer was beginning to become confused.

"Hence why the Junior G-Man will have three kids over the span of what? Four years?" Penelope wrapped an arm around her friend.

"I umm... Hey did Penelope tell you guys that we are all heading out to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate?" He needed to direct the conversation away from his love life, and as much as Spencer wanted a quiet night in with his family, spending time out with his BAU family didn't seem that bad.

"I thought you didn't want to go?"

"What?" Spencer looked at her with shock. "I never said that. On the contrary it seems like a suitable way to celebrate the accomplishment that we have had today."

"Whatever Spence." J.J. grinned. "I'm all for it. After everything it would be nice to spend some time together, well, together away from this place."

"I'll ask Andrea, not sure if she would be up for actually eating anything there but she might like the company."

David looked around. "As fun as that sounds, I think I'll pass. There is a bottle of scotch at home calling my name."

"And tonight is the last day Andrew will be in town, so, we plan to make the best of it." Alec grabbed her coat and bag. "But, I hope those of you who are going, have fun. This is certainly an occasion worth celebrating."

Kyle pulled out his phone. "I need to check with Sara but I am sure she wouldn't mind a night out. Even if it was with a bunch of kids."

Penelope glanced at Aaron. "Are you in?"

"Of course."

She clapped her hands together in joy. "Sweet! I am going to go and make reservations for my fine furry family!"

Aaron looked at her, his eyebrow raised. "I think we need to get her drug tested, again."


	27. Bridget

_Good news, new chapter. Thanks for the reviews, those along with our working furnace, helps fire up my muse. It is a struggle to figure out when each event falls into place... but I am trying to sort it out, lol._

_As usual I do not own Criminal Minds._

Penelope grasped tightly onto David's hand while her free arm held Jane. It had been well over several hours since Anna began the process to bring the newest Reid into the world. She had done this two times before with no problems, but the BAU family still worried.

"It's taking too long..." J.J. snuggled up closer to Will. "We should have heard something by now.."

"Now now, don't worry J.J., she will be alright." He brushed aside her blonde mane and kissed his wife's forehead.

"I'm going to call Jessica and check up on my babies..." Penelope let go of David's hand and began dialling.

"I don't think that is such a good idea." Aaron raised a brow. "It is 12 in the morning."

"Oh, right." She sheepishly put her cell phone away and put her hand back in David's.

"Uncle Aaron..." Kat began to stir. "Where is Mom and Dad...?"

His strong hand gently stroked the dark blonde hair. "They are getting you that little brother or sister you've been waiting for."

"Oh. Can I see them?" She looked up at him with her hazel eyes.

"Not just yet. You need to wait a bit."

"... I'm hungry..."

"Come on then," Aaron lifted her up and over his shoulders. "we will go and get you something to eat. Anybody else want something?"

"Just a whole lot of coffee." Emily said. "I'll come with."

David smiled. "We'll come and get you if there is any news."

"So, boy of girl this time?" Will asked.

J.J. looked up at him. "She is carrying high, like I was with our two so, it might be a boy."

"Can you imagine a Junior Junior G-Man running around?" Penelope had to cover her mouth to stifle the laugh. Last thing anyone wanted for the little redhead in David's arm to wake up.

"I think it is a girl."

"David, you have a cruel mind." Will grinned. "Imagine the poor man in a house full of girls. Women better sync up like J.J. says they do or else Spence might be going though a whole month of PMS."

"I wonder if that is true..." Penelope pondered the fact. "I mean we are all synced up but that may be a coincidence."

"Enough, I do not wish to hear about your menstrual cycles." Will threw his hands up in defeat.

The room became silent, and all eyes turned towards the hallway. They just wanted to know what was going on. A word, an update, anything.

/

Three hours later an exhausted Elizabeth Barnes stepped into the room. "I have some news. Though it is not entirely good news."

"What is it?" Penelope sat up, her eyes fixed on Anna's mother.

"She is taking too long to get to the point where she can push. They are wheeling her into the OR for a Cesarian section. Spencer is going in with her." She put on her best smile. "But don't worry, she is still going strong. Very cranky, but strong. Spencer wants to thank everyone for waiting and for their support."

"Do you want some coffee?" David offered. "You look... spent."

She crossed her arms and bit her finger. "I don't want to leave..."

He transferred the Jane to Penelope, David took care not to wake her. "I'll go and get some for you then. What do you take?"

"Right now, black." Elizabeth slumped down into a chair. "Thanks David."

"No problem." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Anytime. So, who else wants to recharge?"

/

An hour later Spencer, his long hair matted with sweat and the circles around his eyes black, walked into the room. "We have another little girl."

"I knew it!" David smiled triumphantly.

Penelope looked at Spencer. Something was wrong. "How is Anna?"

"She is... still in surgery... they... there was a complication." Spencer's voice became haggard with worry. "They say she should be fine but..." He looked up at his family. "I can't help but think of Maeve..."

Alex got up and hugged Spencer. "It will be alright." She led him to a seat in the middle of the group and sat him down. "Tell us about your daughter."

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "She is beautiful, like all my other beautiful daughters." Spencer looked at Jane and Kat, both of whom were fast asleep on laps. "She has ice blue eyes and from what I gather, black hair. Though that may change... Kat was borne with red hair and Jane with blonde..."

"Congratulations Spence." J.J. cracked a smile. She too was worried about the red head down the hall, but knew that her Spence needed a smile. "We were talking about you having another girl... is it true that women sync their ovulation cycles with each other?"

"Actually," He smiled for the first time in hours. "there have been no peer reviewed studies to prove such a notion but, on the other hand there have been no studies to disprove it. Back in the days were we where hunter gathers it would have made sense that the women would all be fertile at the same time."

"So Spencer, what you are saying is that you stand a better chance of having one week from hell instead of a whole month?" Penelope asked.

He blinked, confused. "It may be because my mind has been through a trying night, or it may be just me, but I don't get it..."

"I think what Penelope is trying to ask, is that, do you stand a better chance of having Anna, Kat, Jane, and your new little girl, menstruating all at the same time, or in alternating weeks?"

"Well," Realizing what the topic was, Spencer began to blush. "with what I just said... I guess I stand a better chance of it happening all at once." He looked around the group. "Could I bunk with anyone during that time?"

David snorted. "I think you're on your own buddy."

"Just make sure the house is stuffed with chocolate around that time." Penelope offered. "Or whatever you find they are craving."

Elizabeth grinned. "I know when Anna is in her time, she loves french fries, and just a heads up kid, red heads go through worse periods than most girls."

"Ladies, as much as I would love to talk about menstruating," Aaron smirked. "I would also like to know what name you picked for your girl."

"Bridget Alexandra Reid. Would you guys... would you like to see her? I'll see if I can bring her out..."

"I'll bring her out. You Spencer, should call your mom." Elizabeth got up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "She'll want to know what is going on."

"Of course. If you would excuse me, I'll give her a call. If anyone comes with an update on Anna, come and get me."

/

Elizabeth walked out with a pink bundle. Instantly the BAU surrounded her. The sight of the new baby helped keep their every growing fears over Anna at bay.

"She looks nothing like Spence..." J.J. remarked as she held Bridget. "Are you sure... he's the father?"

"Yes," Aaron looked over her shoulder. "she looks a lot like Spencer's father."

"She is so cute, here J.J., let me hold her." Penelope gently took the bundle. "Awww. She is so tiny." Instantly she was brought back to when Ricky and Grace were borne; it seemed like a lifetime ago. "They do make adorable babies."

"Anna Reid?"

All eyes turned to the doctor in surgical scrubs.

Elizabeth squared her shoulders and stepped from the group. "I'm her mom."

"I have some good news and some bad new." The doctor took out her chart. "Good news is that she made it out with no complications aside from a few bleeders. Bad news is, due to complications during labour and the surgery... Anna will not be able to have any more children."

"You mean my daughter is now sterile? How... how did this happen?"

"She had a complication during pregnancy that we were unaware of. With the complication, it was a miracle that she actually made it to term without miscarriage. In order to save her we had to remove her reproductive organs."

"What?"

Dr. Pierce turned around and looked at Spencer. "I am so sorry Spencer. Your wife made it through alright but..."

"How could there be a but? She's alright, isn't she?"

"She is, but, the procedure has rendered her infertile."

He blinked and pursed his lips. "What does that mean...?" His voice was weak and shaky.

"It means that, she will not be able to have anymore children."

"Why...?"

Margaret could see the man was going to collapse if he didn't sit. She directed him to a seat away from the group. "There was a complication during the pregnancy we did not catch... it is why she couldn't do a vaginal birth. The complication is rare and very hard to detect. I am so sorry that we couldn't have found it sooner."  
She reached over and took his hand. The action was unprofessional, she knew, but Margaret could tell the situation warranted it. "It is actually a miracle that she didn't miscarry during the last two months."

"So... what you are saying is that we are done having children?"

"Essentially yes. We were forced to remove her uterus and ovaries in order to save her. I am deeply sorry Spencer."

"Is she... awake?"

"She is in recovery right now and should be waking soon. If you want I can take you to see her. But, be careful. She does not know yet and it will take some time for her to come to terms with this. I would recommend that she talk to a therapist."

"I will keep that in mind, but right now I want to see my wife."

/

Two weeks later Penelope knocked on the Reid's front door. Not hearing an answer she took out her key and unlocked the door. She hadn't heard from Anna since Bridget's birth and Spencer had been tight lipped about his wife's condition.  
Anna had even been taking time off from the daycare program. Thankfully Will stepped in and took over her role.

"Anna? Are you home?"

Penelope could see a faint light and soft music coming from the living room. She took off her shoes and walked towards it.

"Hi Elizabeth."

"Hi Penelope."

"How... how is she?" Penelope asked.

"Anna is in pretty rough shape. Do you want something to drink?"

"No thanks... I think I'll go and see her."

"She's in their room upstairs. Anna might be happy to see you." Elizabeth stared off into space. She had stayed to help look after her daughter, and in tern, her newest granddaughter, but seeing her own baby girl in the state she was in... broke Elizabeth's heart.

Penelope made her way up the stairs, and walked towards Anna and Spencer's room. It was dark but the nightlight in their room gave off enough light. She opened the door and stepped in. Anna laid in the bed, curled up with a pillow.  
"Anna, it's me. Penelope."

"I don't need your sympathy."

She sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm not here to sympathize. I'm here to talk to you."

"Yeah," Anna huffed. "about what? About how I failed to give Spencer the son he wanted? About how I am now useless in my most basic of functions? Or how about the fact that I can not look at Bridget without feeling resentful towards her."

Cautiously Penelope placed a hand on Anna's back. "Spencer loves all his daughters. He's showing us new pictures every morning of Bridget. She already has him wrapped around her chubby finger. He does not blame you for anything."

"But I do blame myself." Anna turned her green bloodshot eyes to Penelope. "I should have known something was wrong. I should have. And now, now thanks to my inability to see it I am now rendered useless."

"No, no you are not useless. You are a smart, beautiful, vibrant woman who is an amazing mother. I can see it, your mom can see it, and Spencer can see it. And he is pretty bad at seeing things like that."

"You don't know what it is like, to hold a baby and realize that it is the last one you will have. That it is the last time you will feel a life flutter in your womb, something which I no longer have. You do not know what it feels like to know..."

"I do." Penelope rolled her friend onto her back. "I do know what it feels like. When I held Grace and Richard for the first time I knew that they would be the only children I would ever have in this life. Which is why two years ago I had my tubes tied."

Anna sniffed and wiped away some of the tears. "You did?"

"Yeah." Penelope lifted up her shirt and pulled the front of her sweat pants down far enough to show the tiny scars. "I knew that was it. And as hard as it was, I accepted it because well, I have two beautiful babies whose father I loved. You have a beautiful family Anna."

"True, but you had a boy. All I have is daughters." Anna grumbled.

"Would you honestly change Kathrine, Jane, or Bridget, for another child?" Penelope's tone became stern.

"No..."

"And will it not be funny, when, ten years or so when Kat starts to look at boys?"

A small smile broke across Anna's face. "I guess so. He is so protective over them already..."

"I remember when I had my first boyfriend... Shawn Savage, my step dad threatened to gut him if he didn't bring me home on time."

Anna grinned. "I'm lucky my dad left when I was young... he might have scared Spencer away..."

"Was he really that bad?"

"He was an ex-marine." Anna smirked. "I was his little girl until he couldn't take the combat memories anymore and left..."

Penelope began to speak but was interrupted by Bridget's cry.

"I'll get her honey, don't worry." Elizabeth's voice echoed from down the hall.

"No mom... I'll get her..." Anna sat up and swung her legs over the bed.

/

She held Bridget for the first time since coming home. Anna had to admit that her daughter was... beautiful. "Spencer's mom remarked how much she looks like William when he Skyped with her last week... I was afraid it would make him hate her... or even me... I know how much he hates his dad. But, like you said, she has him doing her bidding..."

Anna looked at Penelope. "I still feel guilty about everything... but... I think I'll take Spencer's advice and talk to someone." Tears formed in the corner of her eyes. "Thank you Penelope for coming over. Talking to you helped..."

"Will you be alright?" Penelope asked.

"I think so..."


	28. Clooney and Gideon

_Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter. I *hate* doing anything bad to a character, even if it is for a plot. And I am sorry for this chapter. I promise that after this I will write a nice fluff one.__ And I realized last night that I had spelled Clooney's name wrong in previous chapters... sorry! __And __TheMysteriousGeek2345 I like your idea._ When the kids are a bit older I might just use it! Thanks!  
Anyways, you came here for a story, not to hear me blabber away. So, here it is, the next installment of When I'm Gone.  
As usual I do not own Criminal Minds.

Penelope sat in A.J.'s coffee shop with her nine year old children; anxiously she looked at her watch and then to the door.

"Mom, why are you so nervous?" Grace took a sip of her iced tea.

"Because your Aunts, Uncles, and Nonno, have no idea that I am in contact with your Uncle Jason. And if they were to find out... they might get really mad at me."

Ricky took a bite out of his sandwich. "Why?"

"First of all, don't talk with your mouth full. If you keep doing it I will get Uncle Spencer to tell you how many people die every year doing that. Second, it is because of the way Uncle Jason left."

"You never told us that before."

"Because Grace this is the first time in... many years that Uncle Jason is back in town."

"And why would they be mad about how he left? How did he leave?" Ricky took another bite of his sandwich, this time taking a huge chunk of lettuce.

"He left without really saying good-bye. One day he sat back and realized he couldn't do his job anymore and left. The closest he came to a good-bye was a letter addressed to Uncle Spencer. His leaving... it left a hole in the team. Made them realize that every one of them had a breaking point."

"Did it hurt dad?"

"Yes it did Grace. He didn't show it that much but... with the bond your father and I had, I knew that it impacted him dearly."

"Mom, I think I see him."

Penelope turned her head to see an older man, balding with grey hair, walk through the door. Sounding the chimes as he entered.

"Wait here you two, I'll be right back."

She walked up to the man slowly. It had been five years since their last secret meeting and this would be the first time he met face to face with the twins since they were babies.

"Hi Jason."

"Hi Penelope, lovely day isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess it is. Do you want to order something first, or come and sit down?"

"I'll get myself something and then I will join you." He motioned over to the table were Ricky and Grace were. "You're over there, right? Do you want anything?"

"Maybe a large white chocolate mocha with whipped cream? Thanks Jason, I'll see you in a few moments." She went back down and sat with the kids. "He's just ordering coffee. He'll join us soon."

"How old is he?" Grace asked. "He looks old."

"69 and Grace, it is rude to say things like that. He may not be young but I have seen this man go head to head with some of the worst people in the world."

"Here's your coffee Penelope." Jason took the seat between Penelope and Grace. "You two have grown into perfect images of your parents."

"So you are Jason Gideon."

"Grace. Bold and blunt, just like your father. Here, I have a couple things I've been wanting to give to you. I just wanted to do it in person." Jason reached into his bag and pulled out two wrapped gifts. "Ricky, you may not fully grasp the concept of your present now, but in time you'll love it. And Grace, from what your mom has told me, I think you will like this."

Grace looked cautiously at the man beside her before taking the gift. "Thanks."

Ricky was a little warmer to the stranger. "Thanks Uncle Jason. Mom, I like this guy, he brings us stuff."

"I hope you don't mind." Penelope looked at Jason. "They call everyone in the BAU family uncle or aunt, aside from David."

"It's more than alright. A little strange, but alright. Go ahead kids, open it."

Ricky ripped the paper off and his eyes shot open. "Oh my..." He ran his finger over the cover of the book. "Kurt Vonnegut: Mother Night?"

"It was your father's favourite book. Actually, it was a copy he lent me. Look inside the cover."

Carefully Ricky used his fingers to open the book. Scribbled on the first few pages were what appeared to be random notes. "What are these?"

"Those are notes your father took in regards to a case we worked on together. Don't worry Penelope, he didn't write anything too graphic. Back then, he didn't have any paper other than the book; he used what he had.."

"Thank you Uncle Jason..." Ricky could feel tears glistening in his eyes. Everyone told him he looked like his dad, but Ricky was never able to feel a strong connection. His dad had been bold buff, confident, and powerful. Ricky, he loved books, art, computers. He had no interest in beating down doors and taking risks.  
This, gave him some connection. And the notes, made the book even more special. Ricky made himself promise that one day he would understand everything in the book.

"Grace, I believe it is your turn."

The girl kept her eyes on Jason as she opened the gift. According to what her mom had recently said, this man had hurt her family. And Grace did not like anyone who hurt her family.  
Ripping off the paper she saw a velvet ring box.

When she opened it, her mother gasped when she saw what laid inside. "Where did you get this?"

"Eh, I had to pull some strings, but it was worth it."

Grace pulled out the ring which was held by a white gold chain."What... what is this?"

"It's your father's high school ring. Back then he didn't want it, so the school kept it just in case he changed his mind."

"Uncle Jason... I am so sorry... I..."

Grace was interrupted by the chimes in the door, signalling that someone had entered the shop.

Penelope's face grew pale when she saw who the person was.

"Uncle Spencer!" Ricky jumped out of his seat and ran over to hug him. Over the summer between Penelope and Spencer's schedules there was not much time for the two families to meet.

"Hey there buddy." Spencer leaned down and hugged

"Uncle Spence, come and see what Uncle Jason got me and Gracie!" He grabbed his Uncle's hand and dragged him to the table.

/

Spencer's blood froze when he saw Jason Gideon sitting down at the table. A quick glance told him that his old role model and his adopted sister were comfortable with each other. Hinting at them being in contact for at least a little while.  
"G... Gideon?"

"Hello Spencer."

"Hello Spencer? That is all you have to say?" He turned to Penelope. "How long were you two in contact for?"

Penelope looked at him sheepishly. "Since the twins were six months..."

"And you never thought to tell any of us about this? How the hell did you think it was alright to hide this?"

Jason opened his mouth to say something but Spencer raised his hand to stop him. "Don't you say anything to me. I don't care if she was following your strange request. You left me. You abandoned me, and the team. And the one person you chose to stay in contact with is Garcia? The one person on the team you were not close to?"

"Hey, Spencer. Cool down. I know you are upset. I-"

"Gideon," Spencer clenched his fists. "I see your profiling skills have deteriorated over the years. I am not upset. I am livid. I am angry. And I am a lot of other things right now but out of respect for Grace and Ricky I will not say what I truly want to." He spat before turning around and storming out. Leaving everyone in the shop to look at the table.

"I am so sorry Jason. I'll go and talk to him."

"No, I should be the one to talk to him." Jason got up and followed Spencer.

/

"Spencer, Reid!" Jason rushed to catch up to Spencer, as he ran Jason cursed the younger genius for having long legs.

"Stop following me Gideon. I have nothing to say to you."

"But you do. I can tell."

Spencer spun around and glared at Jason. "Really Gideon, after all the years that you spent away, you honestly think you can still profile me? Guess what, I have changed."

"I know."

"I have a wife, and three daughters. I am a respected profiler and have created a name for myself."

"I know, Penelope sent me pictures."

"Pictures?!" Spencer ran a hand through his long hair. "She sent you private pictures of MY children? That is it, she is going to get it." He made an attempt to storm back into the shop. Jason grabbed his should and held Spencer still.

"I know you are hurt. Do you think I came out of it unscathed? Imagine walking in on your wife who was just tortured and killed. In order to preserve what little sanity I had left I needed to leave the team, I had to leave you." Jason threw his hands up in the air. "Penelope came up to me on the streets of Chicago, we had coffee, and she asked if we could stay in contact."

Spencer stomped his foot. "And you asked for pictures?! Of MY girls?!"

"I-"

Jason and Spencer were interrupted from their rant by Penelope. "Jason, Spencer, me and the kids need to go home, now. Something is wrong with Clooney."

/

When the troop arrived home Penelope rushed into the back yard with her neighbour while Spencer and Jason held the children back.

"I looked over from my balcony, and I saw him just laying here. He looked to be in a bad shape."

Penelope knelt by Clooney and stroked his fur. He had been lagging for the past couple of months. She had taken him to the vet... he said Clooney had lived a long, healthy, and happy life. And that the loyal canine had been approaching the end of his life. She had hoped he would still hang on, even for a little while longer.

The rise and fall of his chest indicated that he was still with her. Though his breathing had become laboured and slower.  
"Can you get Jason and Spencer to bring the kids out here for a moment?"

/

Jason held Ricky while Spencer kept Grace close by his side. A silent truce had been drawn up between the two men.

"Uncle Spencer..." Grace took her head off his chest. "Is Clooney going to be ok?"

He knelt down and took her small hands in his. "Grace. Clooney is 14, he is very old. And he might want to go and be with your dad."

She used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes. Grace hardly ever cried but right now, knowing that the dog that had been there all her life, was probably going to die, made it hard for her to compose her emotions. "I don't want him to go..."

It had been too much for Ricky. He buried his head into Jason's chest and started crying.

"Jason, Spencer." The two men looked up and saw Mrs. Finlayson. "Penelope is asking for you guys."

Spencer took Grace by the hand while Jason did the same with Ricky. They stepped outside into the yard and saw Penelope sitting by Clooney with his head on her lap.

"Is he going to be alright?" Spencer asked.

Penelope looked up and shook her head. "Can I have a moment alone with my children?..."

"Sure. Spencer, let's go inside. Penelope, we'll be close by."

Grace and Ricky knelt down by Clooney. The ran their hands through his dull coat.

"Momma..." Grace couldn't stop the tears anymore. "is Clooney going to die..."

Her mother looked at Grace, her eyes filled with sadness but also... a type of motherly warmth. "He is very old Gracie... he's tired and wants to be with Dad."

Ricky pouted. "But I don't want him to go."

"I know dear. You know," Penelope gently patted Clooney's head. "when you two were little and we were staying at your Nonno's, him and Mudgey would lay outside your nursery, and would be by your sides wherever you went." She sighed. Clooney was almost gone. His breathing had become almost non existent. And while the children might want to stay with him until he passed, Penelope knew that she didn't want her children to see it.  
"You two need to say good-bye to him. Ok? He needs to go and be with Dad."

Grace leaned down and rested her head on Clooney's chest. "Bye Clooney. I'll miss you," Her tears flowed freely onto his fur. "say 'hi' to Dad for me, ok? And take real good care of him."

"Clooney," Ricky gripped onto the dog's fur. "I'm gonna miss you... you were my best friend and I don't know what I will do without you..." Leaning down he kissed Clooney's forehead. "Bye boy. Like Gracie said, keep our Dad safe." He took his sister's hand and led her inside the house.

/

Jason slumped into the chair. "Derek had that dog for a long time."

"I know." Spencer leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. "When he got Clooney, he had been retired from the Canine Unit."

"He had a broken leg and smashed ribs..." Jason played with a loose thread on the chair.

"According to Derek the vet didn't expect him to make it... But the dog was a fighter."

"Just like Derek was... Listen Spencer, I'm sorry for everything. I tried to make it right with the note but somehow I think that was not enough."

"For the longest time Gid- I mean Jason, I was furious at you. Then a woman who I was in love with, was killed by an UnSub in front of me." Spencer picked at a sore on his hand. "When I got to thinking about it, I understood part of what you went through. What I do not understand though," He turned his eyes to Jason. "is why you couldn't have told me face to face."

Jason shrugged. "After Sarah... I just wanted to leave. I didn't want to talk to anyone, not even you Spencer. I just wanted, no, needed to leave. And to leave you without any explanation, I know that would bring you back to your father leaving, I needed to leave you with something. I knew that the note wouldn't be enough but it was all I could do.  
I am sorry Spencer. I am sorry for leaving you like that and I am sorry it I crossed a line with Penelope."

Spencer shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I guess I am not offended by her sharing my personal life with you so much as I am angry at her showing you those without me knowing."

"Uncle Spencer, Uncle Jason..."

The pair looked at the two children, standing hand in hand, tears streaming down their faces. Instantly Grace ran to Spencer and Ricky to Jason.

"We said good-bye." Grace sobbed into Spencer's shoulder. "I don't want him to go."

"I know sweetie, I know." He rubbed her back. "But he needs to go to your Dad, and Mudgie is there too. He and Clooney will be playing in meadows, swimming in creeks, and laying out in the morning sunshine. Doesn't that sound great?"

Grace shook her head. "No, it sounds better if he is here, with us."

"Uncle Jason..." Ricky looked up. "what happens when we die?"

"I don't know buddy. No one knows."

"Actually, I may not be able to tell you what happens but," Spencer cleared his throat. "I can tell you what it feels like."

Both of the kids' eyes widened. "What does it feel like?" Grace asked.

"There is a warm glow that wraps around you and you feel total and utter peace. It does not hurt. Clooney will be in no pain."

"How do you know...?" Ricky asked.

"I died once, a long while ago."

Grace gasped. "Really?"

/

Outside Penelope stroked Clooney's head and gently scratched behind his ears. "Buddy, I know you'll have fun with Mudgie and Derek. And I know they have been waiting for you. But before you go I want to thank you for everything. Thank you for standing guard over the children, thank you for putting up with the doll clothes, the pulling of fur, and thank you for not disowning us after the haircut Grace gave you." She laughed at the memory. "You were one of a kind boy."

Clooney took one more laboured breath, as he let his life slip away he could hear the faint voice of the master he had lost so many years ago, calling his name.

Penelope buried her head in his fur and cried.

/

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, when the BAU family gathered at Derek Morgan's grave. A silent truce had been drawn up between Jason Gideon and the BAU team.

Penelope Garcia took the dark blue urn and smiled at her children. "Today we are here to honour a great dog, a true and honourable friend, and a brave guardian. He guarded Derek, and after, he guarded our children with the same vigour. When the twins were borne, he and his friend Mudgie, would guard the doorway to their nursery. After, when we moved into our house, he would take turns laying on the kids' beds. I never had to worry about the children when Clooney was around. He will be sorely missed."

She looked at her children.

"Grace, Richard, would you like to help me put Clooney with Dad?"

Grace let go of Henry's hand and latched onto Ricky's. The approached their mom and put their hands on the urn. Penelope kissed each of her babies before tipping it over and spreading the ashes over the grave.

"Say hi to Dad for us Clooney."

/

That night, after Penelope had tucked both children into bed and had read them stories, she laid in her own bed. The soft light beside her gave off just enough light so she could see the pictures as she flipped through the album.

"Momma?"

She looked to her door and saw Grace and Ricky. "You two are supposed to be in bed."

"I know." Ricky pouted. "But we couldn't sleep... we just kept thinking of Clooney, and Dad."

"Can we sleep with you tonight, Momma?"

"Sure Gracie. Come here you two." As the kids climbed into the large bed she flipped the album back to the beginning. "Before we go to bed, how would you two like to look through these photos with me?"

/

A couple months later, in September, Penelope sat on the park bench looking over the water. The kids had stayed at Spencer's for the night and she took the chance to come out here to see the sun rise. As the rays broke over the water she closed her eyes and took in the warm feeling on her skin.

When she opened her eyes she noticed something on the beach. A small form that didn't belong with the usual clutter.  
Penelope got up and walked towards the object. Her pace quickened when she realized the form was a living thing.


	29. Fallen Angel

_Sorry about the wait. Our furnace crapped out again. I hate winter. Anyways, here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it! And please send your nice, warm, and lovely reviews. They help keep me warm. So, less of the creepiness.  
I do not own Criminal Minds, though I want to._

Penelope knelt in the sand and placed a hand on the soaked body. She could feel it's chest rise and fall, telling her that the creature was still alive. Barely.  
She scooped the animal up in her arms and rushed to her van. Thankfully she had done her grocery shopping yesterday so the back seats were still down. Penelope put her jacket down on the floor before gently placing the creature down.

"It'll be ok. I'm going to take you and get you all fixed up."

/

At the vet's office, she placed the dog down on the cold examination table. "I found it at the park a few moments ago... it looked like it was in bad shape..."

Dr. Lyle examined the dog, feeling for broken bones and listening to the heartbeat. "I can tell you she is female... looks to be around six months but with her condition it is hard to pin an exact age. She also looks to be a Great Dane.  
Her back left leg is broken, her right front paw looks broken too. I'll have to do some x rays to see for sure. Oh, and her ribs are broken in at least one spot." He took off his gloves and wrote some things down on the chart. "It is a good thing you brought her in. She is indeed in very rough shape. Here, can you hold her down while I take the x rays. You'll need to wear this." He handed her a lead apron. "Just hold her steady while I put the machine in place."

Penelope put her gentle hands on the dogs leg and shoulders. She heard a slight whimper coming from the creature. "It's gonna be alright girl. We're going to get you through this."

The x rays confirmed the broken bones in her legs along with more injuries that were undetected by the original exam. In a small victory the x rays determined the front paw was just severely sprained, not broken.  
"Ms. Garcia. I will not lie to you but this looks pretty bad." He put up an x ray on the screen. "She has multiple fractures and breaks, along with some internal bleeding. I have to rush her into surgery right now. I'm not sure if she will make it, but I will try. Just be prepared for the worst."

Penelope gently petted the matted fur. "Just do your best."

"I will. Now please go outside while my assistant preps this girl for surgery."

/

Penelope sat in the waiting area with the rest of the vet's patients. Lucky for the dog she brought it today was mostly just vaccinations and check-ups. Nothing serious that would call for him to come out of surgery.

She recalled the last time she had been here... with Clooney. That time the news was not good; this time Penelope hoped the outcome would be better.  
Looking at the clock she realized that Spencer and Anna would be expecting her to pick up the kids soon. Penelope had no wish for the kids to know where she was. Taking her phone she walked outside for a moment to call the Reid house.

"_Hi Penelope. I almost have the kids ready."_

"Anna, are the kids in the room with you?"

"_No, they are in the kitchen having lunch, why?"_

"I'm at the vet's and won't be able to pick them up for a while. Would it be alright if they stayed a little while longer?"

"_Sure. They can stay here for a couple more hours. At five Spencer and I are going on our date night so, we would like them picked up before then. And why are you at the vet's?"_

"Found a dog at the park,; she was in a rough shape so I brought her here. Dr. Lyle says she is in pretty bad way, he took her into surgery a couple hours ago and I don't want to leave until I know she is alright."

"_And you think it is too soon after Clooney to bring the subject of a dog up. I understand. We'll keep the kids for a couple more hours. Give me a call if anything happens."_

"Will do. Good luck with the brood."

Penelope went back in and stayed in her chair for another hour, reading the magazines and talking to whomever would speak to her.

She had her nose buried in an article about ferrets when the vet came out. "Garcia?"

"Yes, how is she?" Penelope walked up to the desk and tried to read the vet's face.

"She was in worse shape than I thought. I did everything I could but now it is up to her. She is young, and that will help her a little bit. She is in the back now recovering. For safe measure I put her in an incubator, it should help her recovery.

It is going to be at least a week until we know if she will pull through or not. And in that time I would like to see if we can find her owner. If they did this to her, they need to be held accountable."

"Of course." She nodded her head, trying to take the news in

"In the meantime, go home to your family. I'll call you if anything changes." He took down her number and handed Penelope his card. "And if you feel the need to check up on her, give me a call. My personal phone number is on the back."

"Thanks. And thank you so much for taking care of her."

Dr. Lyle smiled. "No worries Ms. Garcia. Now, get going."

/

Penelope walked into her home and tossed the keys into the bowl. "Ok kids, first, put your go bags in your rooms. Next, get yourselves cleaned up. Your Aunt Alex is coming over for dinner in a couple hours."

Grace kicked off her sneakers. "Do I have to wear a dress?"

"No, but I do want you to wear something nice. Same with you Ricky."

Her son hung his coat up and smirked. "Don't worry mom, you will never have to worry about me wearing a dress."

"That is not what I meant, smarty pants." Penelope tapped him lightly on the back of his head. "Now go, I need to throw the chicken in the oven."

She grumbled about her smart ass son as she got the chicken out of the fridge and prepared it. Penelope knew that it shouldn't have come as a surprise. Both her and Derek had been smart asses so the odds leaned towards their children being the same. Some days it made her smile but on days like this one where her nerves were already shot... she wished both Ricky and Grace would do as they were told, without question.

Penelope stumbled on a squeaky toy as she got the melted butter and herb mixture from the microwave. Since Clooney had passed away she had been finding more and more of his toys around the house. It was as if his memory was clinging on, as if he wanted some way to stay connected to the family that loved him soo very much.

A weak smile broke over Penelope's face. She picked up the toy and tossed it into the box that had been set in the kitchen. It had been painful to find toy after toy of his, but in a way, it made her happy to know that some part of him still resided in the home.

She basted the chicken, shoved a small piece of solid butter in it's butt, and placed it in the preheated oven. Next would be the potatoes but those could wait a while.

Upstairs she slipped out of her sweat pants and t-shit, looking in her closet she took out a yellow dress with pink flowers sewn on it. Before she put the garment on Penelope looked down at her body. Each scar had told a story of her life, and she wondered how many more emotional and physical scars she would acquire.

/

Downstairs Penelope poured the potatoes into the strainer; the heat that rose up caused Penelope's glasses to fog. Leaving her blind for a few moments.

Reaching around she grabbed a cloth and wiped her glasses. Someday, she knew, some genius with glasses would invent a coating that would prevent them from steaming. And when that wonderful person did invent such a thing, she would be first in line for the product.

The chime from the doorbell sounded the arrival of her guest. "Grace, Ricky, could one of you get the door?"

/

Grace hopped off the couch and checked the peephole. Seeing her Aunt she unlocked the door and opened it.

"Hi Aunt Alex. Mom's just mashing the potatoes. She'll be a few moments."

"Thanks Grace." Alex put her purse down on the bench and took off her coat. "How was your day at Aunt Anna and Uncle Spencer's?"

"Good," Grace led the way to the living room. "Uncle Spencer, Kat, Jane, Ricky, and I, played hide and go seek and I won the most."

"Really?" Alex took a seat by the window. "How did you accomplish such a feat?"

"I hid in the attic behind some old coats, then I hid in the tree in the yard, and after that I hid under the steps. No one knows, but there is a little hole under their steps." She leaned forward and looked around. "But don't tell Ricky that."

"I won't, it will be our secret." The older woman grinned. "Speaking of your brother, where is he?"

"Upstairs, Uncle Spencer got him a new book and he's reading it."

"What book did he get Ricky?"

"Oh, some book about bats that Uncle Spencer thought he would like. I think it is called something like Silverwing..."

Alex nodded. "I've heard of that book series. And yes, Ricky should enjoy it."

"Hey Gracie, could you go fetch your brother from upstairs? Tell him he can read his book another time when we do not have company." Penelope said as she came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on the blue apron.

"Hi Alex. Thanks for coming over tonight."

"No problem Penelope. My apartment was beginning to feel a tad lonely so the company is very welcomed. And, this is a dinner I do not have to cook for myself which makes this even better."

Alex got up and went to her bag. "But, I did not come empty handed, I have a bottle of white wine. My husband recommended this last time he was in town."

"Oooh! I love wine, but don't let me drink too much of it or else bad things will happen." Penelope took the wine and bustled her way into the kitchen, Alex hot on her heels.

"What exactly happens when you drink too much wine?"

Penelope put the wine in the freezer to chill it a bit. "I tend to forget or do stupid things. One time, Kevin and I got into a huge fight and J.J. needed me to come in the morning after. So I am laying in bed begging J.J. to spare me while trying to recall what happened the night before. I hear the shower turn off and my heart stopped. I was so afraid I would have to confront an angry Kevin," She took the chicken out of the over and covered it with tin foil. "but the doorbell rang. Talk about a morning from hell, but anyways I go to answer it and who is standing there but Kevin."

"So who was in your shower?"

She grinned sheepishly. "Derek."

Alex's jaw dropped. "No way."

"Yes way. So I am standing in my apartment, in front of me is Derek Morgan dripping wet and aside from a towel, naked. On the other side of the door is my then boyfriend wanting to make up for our fight. And you remember how jealous Kevin always was of Derek," Penelope put the chicken back in the oven and reset the timer. "just imagine what would have happened if he found Derek, almost naked, in my apartment."

"Did you two... do anything?"

"I thought so. The entire time you guys were away on that case, I spent between being terrified that I was going to lose my best friend and guilty because while I wanted to take that step with Derek, right then it would mean cheating on Kevin.

As it turned out I invited Derek over after Kevin ran out and all that happened was a few, no a lot, of wine and a movie."

Alex nodded her head. "Wowzers. That, is crazy."

"Yeah, you are telling me, and that is why I have a two glass minimum when it comes to wine."

"So," Alex leaned on the counter. "any news on the thing we cannot mention?"

Penelope shook her head. "Last time I texted Dr. Lyle he said she was doing better. But still not stable."

"I'll keep my fingers crossed for her."

/

After dinner Penelope was doing the dishes with Ricky while Grace was playing Go Fish with Alex.

"Mom, who was Kevin?"

Penelope froze. "Why do you ask?"

"I overheard you talking to Aunt Alex about dad, you, and Kevin. Who was he?" Ricky placed a dish in the cupboard before reaching for a glass in the drying rack.

She began scrubbing the pan again. "He was a boyfriend of mine, I dated him before I dated your dad."

"Did you love him?"

"Sort of," Penelope smiled as she recalled the few tender moments she had spent with Kevin. Their relationship may and spiralled into disaster but it did not mean she treasured a few memories. "he was a nice guy but that spark I had with Dad I never had with Kevin. He was... safe, and Dad was a risk that I was not ready to take."

Ricky pursed his lips. "Then why was Dad in your apartment with only a towel on?"

Penelope groaned. "You heard that too?"

"Yes."

"Ok, for future reference, eavesdropping is not a nice thing to do. But since you asked, Dad was showering." Penelope placed the pan in the rack and moved onto the pot.

"Why couldn't he have used his own shower?"

She cursed his curious mind. "Because, he came over to help me and stayed the night. On the couch. Now mister, more drying and less talking."

/

A week and a half had passed and aside from not being able to locate the dog's owner, things had progressed well for both Penelope and the pup. Her team had solved another four cases, saved a child and a baby, and every time they had come home safely.

The dog had recovered nicely, she still had her casts on but the internal injuries had healed nicely.

Penelope sat in the vet's, waiting on the final verdict. If the dog was healthy enough she could go home. And since no one had come forth to claim her or to own up to the abuse, Penelope volunteered. She had already formed a bond with the dog by secretly visiting her every day.

"Ms. Garcia, step this way please."

She walked into the little room where the dog was waiting. As soon as she saw Penelope the dog's entire body began to wag. She attempted to jump up but the cast on her back leg prevented her from doing so.

"Can she come home today?"

"Yes she can, her injuries are healing up nicer than I expected. You have to do a few things though: Keep an eye on her surgical scars and make sure she doesn't do anything that could rip open the stitches. Good news is that the stitches should disappear within the next week. You also need to monitor her food intact and her eliminations. The functions should be regular and normal, if you notice anything wrong, bring her in at once. And finally, she shouldn't get her cast wet. It needs to be on for at least another four and a half weeks."  
Dr. Lyle looked up from his chart. "Can you do that for me?"

"Of course." Penelope scratched the dog behind the ears. "Anything else I should watch out for?"

"Yes, if she starts to exhibit pain in her sides bring her in right away. Other than those issues, she should be good to go. I just need you to sign the paperwork."

"And what about the bill?"

Dr. Lyle grinned. "This one is on the house. After all the help you gave me last year repairing and remodelling the systems on my office computers, the least I could have done for you is make sure this little girl would be alright."

"Oh thank you Dr. Lyle. If you ever need anything, please don't be afraid to ask."

"I will let you know. Now, lets take care of that paperwork so this little girl can go home. Do you have any names picked out?"

"Angel."

/

Penelope positioned the crate in the mudroom and spread the toys out. There was a mixture of Clooney's toys mixed in with a few new ones. Already Angel had made herself at home. As soon as Penelope had placed the bed inside the crate, she had gone in and laid down.

Right now the crate seemed too big for the medium sized dog but Penelope had done her research. Very soon this little girl would grow into her kennel.

"Oh, the kids are going to love you Angel. And they have no idea what is going to happen when David drops them off."

Angel raised her head in acknowledgement of Penelope's voice.

"I know girl. As soon as that cast comes off you'll be able to play with the kids. Until then you three will have to just have to do with cuddles and hugs."

Angel's ears perked up at the sound of David's car.

"That's them girl, it is showtime!"

Penelope grinned when she heard the door open. "Kitten, we're home! I hope you don't mind but I told the kids you had a special surprise for them!"

"I'm in the mudroom David! Kids, come in here for a moment and bring your Nonno!" She quickly tossed a blanket over the crate to hide it.

"Mom!" Ricky ran up and hugged Penelope. "So, what is the surprise you have for us?!"

Grace followed closely behind her brother. "Mom, Nonno said you had something for us, what is it?"

"Ok kids. You know how sad you were about Clooney going away so he could be with Dad? Well, he left us something." Penelope grabbed the sheet and lifted it off. "Now, you have to be careful with her because she is hurt."

Grace and Ricky's eyes lit up at the sight of the black dog. Ricky was the first one to find his voice. "A puppy!"

"Oh my god Mom!" Grace gasped.

Penelope opened the crate door, Angel got up on her feet, with some effort, and walked over to the kids. Cautiously she sniffed the waiting hands before licking them.

She had never seen humans as small as these up close. These were new to her, but they smelled alright; they kind of smelled like the woman who saved her.  
Their hands were small, couldn't do much harm.

After a moment Angel decided these two were alright and moved on to licking their face.

"Where did you find her mom?" Grace asked.

"At the park Dad and I used to go to. She was hurt and needed a family to love her. I figured we were a family that was hurting and needing someone to love us. So, we are a perfect match."

Ricky hugged the dog's neck. "What did you name her mom?"

"Angel."


	30. Halloween

_Sorry about the wait, it has been a shit show trying to get heat in our house. But I managed to write something. And, it is even a fluff chapter! Yay! How about that? I get heat tomorrow and you all get a nice fluff chapter.  
Anyways, I do not own Criminal Minds. Enjoy!  
Oh, and thanks for the reviews! They make me feel all warm and fuzzy!  
_

It was a quiet Sunday morning in October in Quantico Virginia. Well, as quiet as one could get with seven children running around and one squirming in her mother's lap.

"So," Emily leaned over. "do you ladies want to hear a little piece of news?"

"Of course!" Penelope poured more cream into her coffee. "Now spill it."

"Alright. I've been seeing someone..." She grinned. "for the past three months."

J.J. gasped. "And you've taken this long to tell us this?!"

Emily threw her hands up on defense. "I wanted to make sure it would work before pulling him into this wacky, strange... and unique family."

"Has Andrea met him yet?" Anna asked.

"No." Emily shook her head. "He's meeting her tonight."

Penelope was still in shock. "How, how did you pull this off without any of us knowing?"

"I had Aaron babysit on the nights I went out. We had a deal: he didn't ask questions and I cooked him dinner once a week."

"Alright," Alex leaned forward. "so, details. We need a name, height, weight, eye colour..."

"You are talking like he is an UnSub!" Emily laughed.

"Well..." Penelope played with the handle on her cup. "you can never be too sure when it comes to strange men. And Em, I will need his social so I can do a background check on him."

"I will tell you ladies about him, but I am NOT giving you his social." Emily bit her lip. "He is 6'6", has brown hair, he is a couple years older than me, no kids, loves books, very well built, and he is adorable. Oh, and his name is Greg MacKenzie and he is originally from Glasgow."

Alex grinned. "A Scotsman, does he have a kilt?"

"You think just because he is Scottish he has a kilt?" Emily feigned being offended before bursting out in a smile. "Of course he does. And it looks soo damn good on him."

"Em, you should so bring him tick or treating with the crew!"

"Uh, I am not sure if he is ready to deal with all of our monster's yet. I want him to be acquainted with my monster before throwing him to the dogs."

Anna turned to face the other girls. "Did she just call us and the kids dogs?"

"I think she did." J.J. crossed her arms.

"I didn't mean it that way!" Emily shrieked. "I just meant that... everyone at once is a little hard to handle. It might be better if I introduce him one by one to you guys. After all, this is the first relationship I've had since before Andrea." She took a sip of her coffee.

"Ok, how about this," Alex poured a spoonful of sugar into her coffee. "we will keep Halloween open for you two and if you change your mind before then... you can bring him."

Emily nodded. "Sounds alright."

"I hope he comes. Will is slated for duty that night and it would help to have someone replace him..."

"How many kids are we taking this year?" Anna asked.

"We are taking..." Penelope bit the inside of her cheek. "Andrea, Kat, Jane, Bridget though she will not be running around, Grace, Ricky, Henry, Austin, Jack, along with Anderson's two older kids: William and Jackie."

Alex counted the list. "That makes what? Eleven kids? You are lucky I love them, and you. So, what are they going as this year?"

"Well, Grace wants to be a cop, and Ricky wants to go as Einstein."

"Andrea wants to go as a ninja."

"Kat plans on dressing up like a princess, and Jane wants to go as a dragon. Bridget, we are dressing her up as a pumpkin." Anna leaned forward and ticked her daughter. "We have to be careful though that Papa doesn't eat you up."

"I thought Spence was allergic to pumpkins?"

"J.J., it doesn't matter. He'll still eat them. So, what are Henry and Austin going as?"

"Henry wants to be a knight and Austin wants to be a cowboy."

Penelope leaned back and relaxed. "Remember when Henry went as his favourite profiler?"

"Yeah, it was adorable. Anna, I don't believe we have shown you that picture."

Anna grinned. "No J.J., you have not but I'm guessing it is cute?"

"Oh you have no idea." Penelope turned around and grabbed her tablet from the counter. "Here," She scrolled through the pictures until she found the one she wanted. "I think you will agree that it is uber cute."

"Oh my..." Anna took the device and looked at the photo of her husband holding the hand of Henry dressed as Spencer 2.0. "You are right, it is adorable. Henry's soo tiny in this picture!"

"I know." J.J. took the tablet and wistfully looked at the photo. "He was adorable back then."

"He's still cute." Alex took the photo for herself so she could see.

"Maybe on some days," J.J. smirked. "but when his hormones get going he is far from adorable."

"Ok, ok," Penelope took the tablet and placed it back on the counter. "back to Em's man. You need to bring him over sometime so we can meet him. Maybe next time David has a family dinner?"

"Maybe." Emily shrugged her shoulders. "We'll see if I am ready to bring him by then. Now, back to the Halloween plans..."

/

Penelope ran around the house hanging cobwebs from the corners of the rooms, tacking up wall decorations, putting ghouls and goblins on the front lawn, and hanging black spiders on the ceiling, There were few things Penelope Garcia would wake up at 8am on a Saturday morning for; Halloween happened to be one of those things.

By nine her children sauntered down the stairs in their pj's to see what their mom had been up to.

"Oh my god Mom!" Grace's eyes widened at the sight.

Ricky bounded over to the living room. "Please tell me you left something for us to do!"

"Yes I did my little twinnies." Penelope reached into a drawer and pulled out two pumpkin carving sets. "Go and take a look outside at the pumpkins you two will be carving this year."

Both the kids rushed outside to the backyard. When they saw what their mother had done, their jaws dropped.

Before them were two of the largest pumpkins they had laid eyes on. "Mom!"

Grace looked back her her mom, leaning in the doorway. "How... where... Mom, these are HUGE!"

"I know. They're Atlantic giants." Penelope smiled. "Now if we want to get these done and leave enough time to dress up, we better get started now." She tossed the kids a couple aprons and put one on herself. Penelope turned the iPod dock on and the Halloween music began to flow.  
"Let's get this party started."

/

When they were done, the kids and Penelope stepped back to admire the work. It had taken them all morning and a little bit of the afternoon to scoop, gut, and carve the pumpkins.

While they were carving Angel got into the bucket of pumpkin guts and had managed to cover herself in the orange gunk. It was a sight.

Penelope wiped her hands on the apron. "Ok, so I think there is enough time for a could other things. Wait here though, I want to get my camera."  
She dashed in and grabbed it, there was an opportunity for a prime Christmas card picture and Penelope would not let it slip away.  
"Ok kids, I want the both of you to get inside of your pumpkins."

Ricky balked. "What?"

"You heard me, get inside. Don't worry, it will be fine."

Cautiously Ricky stepped inside of the large pumpkin and sat down. He had to admit, this was a pretty cool idea and not as gross as he thought it would be. "Come on Gracie. Get inside so Mom can take our pictures!"

Smiling, Grace stepped inside, once in she grabbed the top of her pumpkin and plunked it on her head. "Ok Mom, take it. No. Wait. Angel, come here." She motioned for the dog to stand between her and Ricky. "Now Mom, it is perfect."

Penelope smiled as she captured the moment. "Now, how about you two go watch a Halloween movie before we get ready?" She began helping her kids out of their pumpkins.

"Sure, but aren't you gonna watch it with us?" Grace asked.

"My dear daughter, I need to get the pumpkin guts off of Angel."

/

A few hours later after a supper of spaghetti and fake eyeballs the Morgan/Garcia team began to don their costumes.

"Mom! I can't take these handcuffs!" Grace yelled.

"Why not?" Penelope sighed as she put on her witch dress.

"They're plastic. I wanted real ones like Nonno has." Grace stomped her foot in frustration.

"Well, when we go to Nonno's you can ask if you can borrow his. Until then start acting your age again."

"Ok... sorry Mom."

"It's ok dear. Come and let me see what you look like."

Grace walked in wearing a blue child's police uniform, on one hip she had a fake baton and on the other a toy gun. "How do I look Mom?"

"Almost perfect Dear. Give me a moment and I'll do your hair. Then, you will be perfect." Penelope went into her bathroom with her costume. Quickly she slipped on the blue coveralls and did them up.  
Once they were on she opened the door. "Gracie, come in here and lets finish your costume."

Grace entered and stood by the mirror. "Mom, can I ask you something, and can you promise not to tell anyone about it?"

Penelope brushed her daughter's unruly wavy hair back. "Sure, what do you want to ask me?"

"Do you think Henry likes me?"

"What?" A bobby pin fell out of Penelope's mouth,

"Do you think Henry likes me?"

"Umm... why do you want to know?" She bent over and picked the pin up.

"I think he is kinda cute." Grace began to blush. "I know I am younger but... I like him mom. And not in the way that I like Jack or Austin."

Penelope took an elastic and gathered Grace's hair into a ponytail. "I think Henry sees you as a friend." She winced at the sort of lie she just told. Penelope could see the special connection the two had since Grace was borne, but Henry was far too old for Grace, at least now.  
"And besides, you are far too young to be looking at boys. You need a few more years." She took a hair net and began to put the long black hair into a bun. "You are only nine, give it time."

"... Ok. Hey Mom, how did you know you loved Dad?"

Her mother sighed. She had hoped this conversation would have waited a few more years. But Grace had been one to take risks, to ask the questions no one else would, and acted much older than she was,  
"I knew I loved him when I was able to trust him with my life. I felt something for Dad the moment I first saw him, but I didn't realize the extend until I was shot. When I woke up, and Dad was there. I realized that no matter what would or had happened between us, I loved him and that would never change."

"Do you still love Dad?"

Penelope took a bobby pin and placed it to secure the bun. "Yes I do." She put a glob of gel in her hands and spread it over Grace's hair. "There, all done. Now, aside from the handcuff you look like a real cop. No, wait. You need something else." Penelope had an idea.

She went to her bed, knelt down, and pulled out a box. "I have one thing that will make this complete." Penelope opened the box and sifted through it. "Ah, this is it. Come here Grace."

"Now Grace, you must promise not to lose this. It is very special." Penelope took the object out of the box. "This was the badge Dad had when he was a cop in Chicago." She pined it on Grace's shirt. "There, now you look perfect."

Grace looked down at the badge and ran a finger over it. "Wow... don't worry, I'll keep this nice and safe."

"Good, now go and let me finish getting ready."

/

An hour later Penelope packed up her kids and went over to David's. He insisted that the kids trick or treat in his neighbourhood. His reasoning had been that since the people who lived in his area were well off the payloads for the kids would be larger.  
At David's her kids rushed in the house, leaving Penelope to bring in the bags and whatever costume pieces were left in the car.  
She slung her Ghostbuster proton pack onto her back before grabbing Ricky's wig.

Walking inside she gasped at the decorations. They paled compared to hers. "Oh my... David. This is amazing!"

"Oh, it is nothing. I kind of cheated and had someone come in and do it for me." He led her to the living room where everyone was waiting. "All the party is here. I just need to finish getting ready and then we can go."

"What are you going to be?"

David grinned. "A pirate. You know Kitten, before I came back tot he BAU, I never would have imagined spending my Halloween trudging around town with a pile of kids but, when I took Jack one year, I realized what fun I had been missing out on."  
He looked at her, his eyes filled with joy. "Now, with the grandchildren, I would not want to spend my evening any other way."

"Likewise." Penelope looked at the horde of kids and adults. Life may be getting more and more hectic but times like this made everything worth it.

"Hey, Penelope!" Spencer came up, dressed as Edgar Allan Poe. "I have something for Ricky, where is he?"

"He should be around here somewhere... Hey Ricky!"

The boy bounded up to the pair and hugged his Uncle before his mom put his wig back on. "Happy Halloween!"

"Happy Halloween to you too buddy. I have something for you that you can use in your costume." Spencer reached into his bag and pulled out a beaker. "This is something scientists actually use. And, I have these too." He reached back into his bag and took out a big pair of glasses. "Here," He placed them on Ricky's face. "Now, you look like an actual Albert Einstein."

"Yay! Thank you." Ricky looked up at his mom. "When do we get to go trick or treating?"

"Soon, Nonno needs to put his costume on first, then we can go."

"Good! Because I want candy!" And with that he bounced away to join the other kids.

"Yeah buddy, like you really need it." Penelope grinned. "So Spencer, where is Anna and Bridget?"

"Over here." He led Penelope to the kitchen where it was a little more sedate. Standing in the nook was Anna holding a pumpkin Bridget.

"Awww! She is so adorable in that costume!" She played with the tufts of black that stuck out from the green cap. "I see Papa didn't eat you up."

"Though I did have a ton of pumpkin tarts..." Spencer began scratching his finger tips. "and it will come back to haunt me tomorrow."

"Hey you four." Aaron sauntered into the kitchen in his Star Trek uniform. "What do you think?" He turned around to give a full view.

Spencer looked at Aaron, head to toe, examining the costume. "Your badge is upside down. But aside from that little error, it is a very good costume. Though, you really should have worn a different shirt."

Aaron arched his brow. "Why? What is wrong with a red shirt?"

Penelope, Anna, and Spencer looked at each other before breaking out in fits of laughter. "What? Hey, tell me or I will give you a mountain of paperwork so high that by the time you finish it all Bridget will be in college."

"Alright Aaron." Penelope stifled her laughter. "Red shirts are the ones who die first. They always die."

"No, that is not entirely true." Spencer grinned. "There was at least one red shirt portrayed by Jonathan Goldsmith who survived the entire episode despite wearing the infamous shirt."

"Ok then," Aaron adjusted the badge. "in that case I am the most interesting man on Star Trek!"

This caused the kitchen to burst out once again in laughter.

"Hey, what did I miss?"

Penelope covered her mouth. "Nothing David. Are you ready?"

"Aye aye! Let's go get us some plunder!" David lifted his plastic sword in the air in mock bravado.

"Cool, let's go then before the kids tear your mansion down. Oh, btw, Grace wants to borrow your cuffs."

David reached into the pocket of his doublet and pulled the device out. "In that case, I'll go give them to her while you round up the rest of the crew. Hey kids! Get in the kitchen so we can go!"

/

He walked up to Grace and knelt down in front of her. "Your mom told me you wanted to borrow something of mine?"

"Yes Nonno." She smiled. "I want to borrow your cuffs so I can look like a real cop!"

"What is the magic word?"

"Please?"

"Better." David took out his cuffs. "Turn around kiddo." Gently he placed the cuffs on the back loops of her pants. "This is how your dad would wear them. Now," He spun her around. "you look like a real cop."

/

The horde of children invaded the streets near David's house. A few times one would try to break away from the group but they were quickly rounded up by the adults who flanked them.

"So, David was talking about a party back at his house. Would you be interested, Penelope?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I would Anna, but I don't think I could find a sitter tonight."

"You know I could take them. I have Bridget to take care of so I can't really stay for the party... In fact, I'm already taking Emily and J.J.'s kids."

Penelope arched a brow. "Are you sure you want that many sugar filled children at one time?"

"Eh, it can not be any worse than the first time I looked after them. Hey," Anna pointed to a very decorated house. "I think we are going to that haunted house down the street next. Check out those decorations!"

"They are looking pretty nice." Penelope had seen the house and it did look amazing. The kids would have an amazing time. But, her eyes were now on her brood. Grace was walking close to Henry. Thankfully he still viewed her as a child but... Penelope felt that in a few years time she would have to keep an eye on her daughter.

/

Later in the evening after the children had gone to stay with Anna, the adults broke open the booze and started celebrating a night well done. The kids each had a pillowcase full of candy, no one had burst into tears, and everyone had come home in a good mood.

"Hey, Penelope!" She glanced over to J.J. who had a bottle of beer in her hand. "Come over here!"

She grabbed a cider from the cooler and went to her BFF and Alex. "What's up you too?!"

Alex leaned forward. "Nothin', did you hear, Em is bringing her new boyfriend tonight."

Penelope gasped. "Really?"

J.J. drunkenly nodded. "Really. He should be here soon." She wrapped an arm around Penelope. "Remember all those years ago when we joked about how your daughter and my son would hook up. Well, I caught Grace making eyes at Henry."

"I know, she asked me about Henry tonight. But, you tell that son of yours to keep his hands off of Grace until she is older... much older."

"Don't worry, he won't do anything..."

Penelope took a sip of her cider. "Good, because if he doe-"

She was interrupted by Emily. "Hey you two. I would like to introduce you to meet Greg. Greg, meet J.J., Alex, and Penelope."

Greg extended his hand to Penelope. "Pleasure to meet you Penelope. Emily has told me so much about you." He then extended the same hand to Alex. "Likewise for you Alex. Emily has lent me a few of your papers and may I say the work you did on Central American languages was amazing. And it is also a pleasure to meet you J.J., Emily told me how you helped her in France; you are a really great friend."

J.J. started at Greg, scrutinizing him. "It is a pleasure to meet you too. But if you ever hurt my friend I will hog tie and castrate you."

"And I will ruin you so badly on the cyber scene you will not even be able to get a loan from a loan shark." Penelope glared at him before her, Alex, and J.J. burst out laughing.

"We only jest my dear Greg. J.J., Alex, and I just really care for Em."

The man grinned. "I can tell. She is lucky to have such wonderful friends."

"Come on Greg, I want you to meet Spencer. You'll like him." Emily quickly hugged her friends before dragging Greg away.

J.J. pretended to fan herself. "Oh my, that accent was... sexy."

"I know. And he seems nice." Penelope's eyes squinted as she smiled. "Very nice."

Alex crossed her arms and leaned against the couch. "Modern tense or medieval?"


	31. Football

_Ok, so this is another jump: the twins are now 15 and those hormones are flowing strong! How will this pan out? Read and find out. ;)  
Thanks for the reviews, you guys are awesome!  
And finally, I do not own Criminal Minds._

Grace stood on the edge of the field. After waiting years she finally had a chance to try out for the football team and she intended to take it.  
Every year she had gone toe to toe with the BAU Boxing Day football match and every year she had proved herself to be an ideal player.

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and walked towards the group of boys sitting on the benches.

"Morgan," Coach Williams huffed. "what are you doing here? Cheerleader tryouts are not until Friday."

"I'm here for the tryouts." Grace boldly looked the coach in the eyes. "Football tryouts."

"Ha! Baby Girl, this is a boy's sport. It is not for dainty little girls like you." Coach Williams put his hands on his hips. "Why don't you get that wussy book lovin' brother to try out instead?"

Grace glared. "Sir. I am no dainty little girl. I can outplay AND outpace most of the boys sitting here. As for my brother; we are both Morgans through and through, we are not dainty nor wussy."

"Still, no girls allowed on my team."

"Not true, according to the rulings in recent human rights cases females are permitted to play on male sports teams if they a) are qualified, which I am, and b) if there is no equivalent female team, which there is not. So according to the law I am more than able to join the team." Grace made a silent promise to thank her Uncle Spencer after this was over.

"I don't care what some liberal law maker says, I still say that this is my team and I don't want any girls. Now scram!"

"Yeah, get out of here!" Grace stumbled when the water bottle hit her head. Looking to her side she saw most of the football hopefuls glaring at her.

Tears stung Grace's eyes as she ran out of the field and towards the locker rooms. Never in her whole life had she ashamed to be a girl. Sure, she had grown up in a world of strong men but each one of them: Uncle Aaron, Nonno, Uncle Will, Uncle Spencer, and Uncle Aaron, had never made her feel any less of a person due to her sex.

She leaned against the wall before slumping down on the ground sobbing.

Life was not fair. Ever. It took her Dad away, it hurt her mom, life had kicked her Aunt Anna when she was down, and now it barred her from doing something that Grace knew she would love.

Sighing she dried her tears with her sleeve and got up. There was no use crying. This was not over.  
Grace looked into the glass window. Her dad would not have given up so easily, he would not have cried and whimpered, he would fight. And so would she.

/

That night she ate her dinner in silence as Ricky and her mom talked about the school play he auditioned for.

"So I read the part of Mars perfectly. Mrs. Gibson said I was really clear and pronounced." He took a bite out of his burger. "I think I stand a chance at getting the lead."

"Who else auditioned?" Penelope asked.

"Mary-Sue, Calais, Rob, Kat, and I think I saw Dennis. There were others, but those were the only ones I knew."

"Nice. If you and Kat get parts I'll work out something with your Uncle Spencer and Aunt Anna." Penelope turned her attention to Grace.  
"You've been quiet tonight, is everything alright dear?"

Grace picked at her coleslaw. "Yeah, I'm just tired. If it is alright with you Mom, I want to go to my room and start on my homework. Mr. Cobbs gave me a mountain of homework for tonight..."

Penelope gave her daughter a questioning look. "Alright... but make sure to take some desert up with you." Her daughter loved mathematics, something which she picked up from Penelope, but the request to get an early start on homework... that was odd.

"Sure, of course." Grace took a slice of the apple cheesecake and headed to her room. Once inside she hastily ate the cake and grabbed her bike knew her mom would freak if she knew what Grace would be doing, but she had to meet with the one person who she could talk openly with. It would help her clear her head and give Grace a better idea of what to do.

Quietly, she made her way down the stairs and to the door. Thankfully she had oiled the hinges last weekend, per her mother's request. Carefully she opened and closed it.

The cold September air stung her skin but at the same time it made her feel alive. She picked up her bike and began the short ride to the park down the street. He should be there waiting for her. Pulling in she saw his red pickup in the parking lot and his form sitting on the swings.

Grace dismounted and walked towards the swing set. "Hi Henry."

His blue eyes shone in the dark when he looked at her. "Hey Gracie. You said you needed to talk?"

"Yes." She sat in the swing next to him, she began to dig her foot in the sand. "I went to the football tryouts today..."

"And... don't tell me, they made you quarterback?"

"No," She shook her head and tried to stop the tears. "the coach wouldn't even give me a chance. Said girls couldn't be on his team."

"His loss. You could outplay most of those boys."

Grace sighed and looked up at the stars. "I know. That is what I told him. But he wouldn't even give me a chance." The tears began slipping down her cheeks. "He implied I was only good for waving pom poms. Can you imagine that? Me cheerleading?"

Henry scoffed as he shook his head. "No. You would look soo out of place."

"I know." Grace began to swing back and forth. "I'm not sure where to go from here..."

"You can always talk to Uncle Aaron, he was a defense attorney so he knows the law better than most people, certainly better than Coach Williams."

"He's always busy though." Grace shrugged. "I don't want to be a burden. Plus, it will just mean that I have to rely on a big strong man to take care of me." She kicked some sand, sending it up in a cloud of dust. "It is so unfair sometimes, I wish I was a boy!"

"Grace," Henry reached out and put his hand on her's. "we all know that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself. That is what makes you, you. But what I am trying to say is that you should use Uncle Aaron, not because he is a man but because you can use his skills to help you."

"What if the coach hates me for it?"

"Eh, he can't do anything. If he does the entire BAU team will descend on him like a pack of dogs. My mom and your mom would probably take him down without any help."

The image of her mom and Aunt J.J. taking the coach down made Grace giggle.

"There, that is the Grace I know. Can you smile again?" She couldn't help but oblige his request. "Do you feel better?"

"Yeah, thanks Henry."

"No worries. Now," Henry hopped off his swing. "let's get you home before your mom finds out you're gone or else I will be dead meat."

Henry took her hand and helped her off the swing. She turned to face Henry. When their eyes locked she felt her breath taken away. She had always liked him but... the way the moon shone on his hair, the way his eyes sparkled with life, it made deeper feelings stir within her.  
"Henry..."

She closed her eyes and felt his lips connect with her's, the action sent a bolt of electricity from her toes to her heart. Grace knew her mom would kill her if she found out, but at the moment she did not care.  
After a moment they pulled apart.

"Grace... I am so sorry... I didn't mean to..."

"It is alright Henry." She placed a hand on his cheek. "I liked it."

Henry shook his head. "It doesn't matter. What happened was wrong..." He ran a hand though his hair. "It should not have happened. I don't know what came over me. I am soo sorry Grace. You just looked soo... beautiful in the moonlight. But I shouldn't... I..."

"Don't tell me you regret that?" Grace shrieked.

"No I don't. But I should. This was a mistake..." Henry began to pace.

"A MISTAKE?!" Grace pulled her hand back and slapped Henry. "You bastard." She turned around and began trudging to her bike. Behind her, Grace could hear Henry's footsteps. "Don't you dare follow me!"

She grabbed her bike and put her helmet on. "Stay away from me Henry. Or else I will break you!"

"Let me drive you home Grace... please?"

"No. Right now I do not want to go anywhere with you. And you, Henry, can go screw yourself." She got on her bike and began to leave.

Henry rushed to his truck and turned it on. If Grace wouldn't let him drive her home, he would follow her. He screwed things up tonight, the least he could do was make sure she went home safe.

/

Grace sighed in frustration when she saw the lights of Henry's truck. First he kisses her, then he tells her it was a mistake, and now he is following her home. she couldn't help but laugh at the way society dictated that the minds of women were hard to understand. 'If anything,' Grace thought, 'it is men who are more confusing.'

Once home she flung her bike into the yard and ripped off her helmet. She looked behind her at Henry's truck and glared.

"I'm home, now beat it!"

She stormed into the house and kicked the first thing she saw: her lunchbag. "Men!"

"Grace?" Penelope came out of her office looking concerned. "I thought you were in your room... where were you?"

"I was out blowing steam, ok? I tried out for the football team today and was turned away because I am a stupid girl!" Grace didn't want to reveal the entire reason. "I'm not useless... am I?" She asked before bawling.

Penelope balked. She had forgotten her daughter's tryouts. Instantly she was flooded with guilt. "I am so sorry Gracie."

She went to her daughter and pulled Grace into a hug; she could feel Grace clinging onto her shawl. "No you are not, and you are not stupid. You are a smart, brave, and tough person." She kissed the top of her head. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Now, I am going to make you a cup of hot chocolate. While you are drinking that I am going to go call you Uncle Aaron."

/

Aaron sat in the Garcia/Morgan living room. He had brought copies of various laws, amendments, and guidelines, along with other legal documents. He also brought a tape recorder which he had turned on. "Now Grace Morgan, I need you to tell me what Coach Williams said to you."

Grace clung onto her cup. "He called me a dainty girl and said Ricky would be more suited for the team despite being a 'book lovin' wuss'. I told Coach Williams that me being on the team was perfectly legal but he said that he didn't want girls on his team and would not let any join."

"And how did that make you feel Grace."

"It made me feel like I was less of a person." She looked at Aaron with a fierceness he had seen previously in Derek's. "Every law says I can play on the team and if given a chance I could outplay most of the boys that tried out today. It is unfair that I am forced from doing something I love and am good at just because of my sex."

"If given the chance would you try out again?"

Grace smiled. "Of course."

Aaron turned the tape off. "That was good Grace. I'm sorry to put you through that but it is best to get a testimony soon as possible." He picked up a document from the table. "Before coming here I looked through my files and found the law you told Williams about. It does say you can play. But if we do get you on the team he is not required to play you."

"That is ok. As soon as I practice with the team they will see how good I am."

Penelope sipped her hot milk. "Do we have a case Aaron?"

"I think we do. If you both want I can stop by Grace's school tomorrow before work. We have a case to work on at the BAU but we can hold it off for a couple hours." He turned his eyes to Grace again. "You do know that you will have to work even harder than the boys to prove yourself?"

"I understand."

"Good," He closed up his files and took the tape. "I will see you both tomorrow at 9:00. Don't worry Grace, I will tear the coach and anyone else that gets in your way apart. No one interferes with my family."

Penelope escorted Aaron to the front door. "Thank you so much for coming out so late."

"No problem. She is a perfectly fine player. I should know after the number of tackles she's done to me. No one in their right mind should deny her the chance to prove herself.  
Good night Penelope, and you too Grace."

Once the door was closed Grace broke down again. She clung like a baby to her mom. Everything that happened in the day was beginning to sink in. Her dream to play football had been crushed and she quite possibly lost her best friend. The latter she had to keep in until tonight when she could sneak into Ricky's room.

"Shh..." Penelope rubbed her back. "it will be alright. Just you wait and see. Your Uncle and I will chew both the Principle and Coach out. Along with anyone else that gets in your way." She began to lead Grace upstairs.

In the bathroom she sat with Grace as the bathtub filled up. "Now Grace, I want you to take a nice long bath. It will help relax you." She poured a lavender rosemary mixture in. "You know, when I was pregnant with you and your brother, I would use this a lot. I was dealing with Dad not being around, the stress of work, and the worry of preparing for motherhood."  
She put a smile on her face for Grace. "And if this could relax me with all that had been going on, it will relax you. I'm just going to go and help your brother with his homework. Give a shout if you need anything."

After her mom had left, Grace undressed and put her cell phone on the side of the tub. She took a deep breath before slipping into the hot water. Her mom was right, this was relaxing. As Grace leaned back her cell phone buzzed with a text. She dried her hands and looked at it. It was from Henry. She didn't even bother to look at it what it said.

Sighing she texted Andrea and told her what was going on. If anyone understood what it was like to have feelings for an older boy, it would be her.

/

Ricky looked over his math homework and winced. "I hate this... why do I even need to know this Mom? It is not like I will ever use imaginary numbers!"

"Calm down. You might never use them, but it is useful just in case. Now, lets work on this problem together."

He put down his pencil and leaned back. "Before that Mom, can we talk?"

"Of course."

"What do you think of my friend Mona?"

Instantly the image of the slender blonde flashed in Penelope's eyes. "She's nice. Why do you ask?"

"Well, there is this school dance coming up and she kinda asked me..." A blush began it's creep up his face.

"Do you like her?"

Ricky's eyes shifted around the room. "Yes... kinda... I mean she is pretty, and nice, her artwork is amazing, and she has this cute smile that lights up the room."

"Oh, you so like her!" Penelope ruffled his hair. "My little man likes a girl. This is such a milestone!"

"Mom! You're embarrassing me..."

"Come on Ricky, there is no one here but you and me." She wrapped an arm around her protesting son and hugged him. "You will always be my little man, ok? No matter how many girls, or boys, like you." She kissed his forehead.

"Ah Mom, stop kissing me! That's gross. Go. Please."

"But you haven't finished your homework."

Ricky glared. "I can finish it tomorrow before forth period. Mona is good at math too..."

"Ok, ok. I will leave you alone."

Penelope smirked as she left the room. Her kids were growing up, but she could still have fun with them.  
She was about to go back to her office when the doorbell rang. Penelope turned around on the balls of her feet and went to the door.

"Henry, what brings you here at this time?"

The young man stepped in. "I came to see if Grace was alright. We had a talk earlier this evening and it didn't go so well..."

"Come and sit down. She's in the bath right now. I am guessing this talk was about the football tryouts?" Henry nodded. "Yeah, she was more than a little upset over that but, Uncle Aaron and I are going to be talking to the coach and the principle tomorrow. Hopefully that will resolve it. Would you like a beer or something?"

"A glass of water would be nice. Thank you Aunt Penny."

"So, how is the training coming along?"

Henry took the glass and downed it. "Very well. Swan asked me last week if I would join her team when I graduate."

"Her unit is a very well respected on." Penelope sat down across from him. "You should be honoured."

"I am, but I still have my heart set on the BAU. I respect Swan but Todd will be taking her place next year and I do not get along with her."

"Todd is a great Agent. I have my own personal feelings about her, but her skills are second to none."

"I know, my mom told me how she had her eyes on Uncle Derek." Henry looked down at his empty glass. "I don't remember much of him Aunt Penny... but I have this one vivid memory of him holding on his shoulders so I could see Santa..." He turned his blue eyes on Penelope. "I miss him..."

"I do too Henry... every day."

A silence fell on the pair. Henry wanted to ask if Grace told her mother about the kiss. He knew it was wrong. She was 15 and he was 21. The age difference alone made the act wrong. Not to mention he was supposed to protect and guard her against men like himself.

"So." He played with the rim of the cup. "How was Grace when she got home?"

"Broken. She couldn't stop crying over the coach not letting her try out." Penelope looked at a picture of Derek that hung above the mantel. "She tries so hard to be like her Dad. Sometimes I fear she is not trying to be her own person."

"She's at an age where she is trying to find herself. I remember being 15 and it was not easy. But, I think Grace has a solid head on her shoulders. She knows what she likes, and what she doesn't like. Aunt Penny, she is growing up to be a very self assured woman."

"And do you notice her becoming a woman." Penelope arched her brow.

"Umm..." Henry tried to think of a right way to answer. "I do. But I understand the age difference is too... large."

She leaned back, satisfied with the answer. "Good. Because Henry, you know that if you touch her your mom and I will be on you like a pack of wild dogs."

"I know." He put his glass down. "I had better go. Can't be falling asleep in Media Relations class."

"True. Thank you for coming by. I'll tell Grace you said hi."

"Thank you Aunt Penny." Henry reached over and hugged his Aunt. "Grace is lucky to have a mother like you."

Penelope pressed Henry against her. "Your own mother is pretty awesome too."

/

Grace watched Henry say good-bye from a gap in the stairs. She burned with rage at the thought of Henry coming over just to cover his own tracks. He didn't care about her. He only wanted to save his own hide.

She got up and huffed. If Henry was going to act like an ass, the he would not be worth her time. Grace trudged to Ricky's bedroom and flung the door open. "Henry can go suck my non existent balls!"

"Gracie, what the hell is going on?" Ricky put his pencil down and joined Grace on his bed.

"Henry." Grace sat up and glared. "I need to tell you something but if you tell Mom I swear to god I will make your life a living hell."

Ricky nodded. "I promise."

"Ok, so I guess you overheard me not getting on the team. Hell, coach didn't even let me try out. But that will be fixed tomorrow. The issue I am talking about is Henry Kiss-My-Ass LaMontagne. We met in the park to talk about the day because he is my best friend and talking to him usually helps with everything. But this time he kissed me." She saw the shocked look on Ricky's face. "The moment I have dreamed about for five years happens. Oh my god Ricky, it was amazing, The feeling... wow. But anyways he kissed me. And then acted like it was a big mistake. A mistake! He said my first kiss was a mistake!"

"Calm down Gracie, you are talking too fast..."

"Ok," She breathed in. "I don't know what I am to him. Sometimes he looks at me like Aunt J.J. and Uncle Will look at each other, other times he looks at me like Jack looks at me. Am I a child or am I a woman?"

"For starters, to him you probably are still a child..."

"Then why do I catch him looking at me with those... eyes?"

"Gracie." Ricky wrapped his arm around her. "I hate to say this because it grosses me out more than mom kissing me but, what straight man wouldn't look at you?"

"Gah! Your sex is so confusing!" Grace jumped off the bed and began pacing. "Well, if Henry wants to be a jerk then he can be a jerk. To hell with his eyes, to hell with his sexy blonde hair, to hell with that southern accent, and to hell with him!" She looked at Ricky.  
"Thanks, I feel better." For the first time since the tryouts she smiled. "Thank you for listening to me."

"... You're welcome..."

"Ah, now I am going to head off to bed and dream of things not pertaining to Henry." She ran over and hugged Ricky. "Oh, and Mona, go to the dance with her. She is a really nice girl."


	32. Mars

_Ok, still no heat. But I have another chapter._  
_Enjoy, and as usual I do not own Criminal Minds._

Grace sat in the Principle Veronica Kelly's office with her mom, Uncle Aaron, Coach Williams, and Mrs. Kelly.  
She could feel the eyes of the Principle and the coach boring holes into her but she did not break her composure.

"So," Mrs. Kelly opened a file. "Coach Williams has told me that Ms. Morgan did show up for tryouts yesterday afternoon. And that according to the school guidelines he was forced to reject her."

Grace glared. "That is not true Mam."

"And what did happen Ms. Morgan?"

"He told me that I wasn't allowed because I am a girl." Grace crossed her arms.

"Ms. Morgan," Mrs. Kelly removed her glasses. "that is how he was following school policy. According to the policies put in place there is to be no mixing of genders in regards to sports teams."

"Mrs. Kelly," Aaron brought out his own files. "if that is the case your school's polices are in direct violation of nondiscriminatory laws." He opened the folder and slid a piece of paper across the oak desk. "According to the law, if there are no equivalent female teams then a girl may participate on a male team. Provided she passes the tryouts. Now, according to the testimony I have on tape, Coach Williams would not even allow Grace try out.  
He leaned forward. "You know as well as I do how big of a deal this would be if the press got a hold of this story. There would be tv coverage, lawsuits, human rights groups. You would be hounded night and day by people."

Mrs. Kelly shifted in her seat. "As it may be, it is Coach Williams' team, I have no say in who he puts on it and who he rejects."

"In that case, Mam," Penelope placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "you will have a press frenzy by the end of the hour. I have personal connections with various human rights organizations, newspapers, web blogs, and a couple big name news channels. My daughter has every legal right to play on that team and you will ensure Coach Williams adheres to the law, or I will ruin your school's reputation."

"You drive a hard bargain Ms. Garcia." Mrs. Kelly looked at Coach Williams. "Well, I am afraid they leave me no choice. Grace Morgan is to try out for the team today after the school day is finished."

"You... you can't do that!" Williams sputtered. "She's a girl. I can't have a girl on MY team."

Aaron glared at the man. "It doesn't matter if she is a girl or a boy Mr. Williams. All that matters is that she is given the same chances as the other kids you allowed to try. And I will be there along with Ms. Garcia to make sure you give Grace a proper and fair chance. If I find that you discriminate against her again I will personally represent Ms. Morgan and Ms. Garcia in a lawsuit against you and the school. And Mr. Williams I have, never, lost a case."

"It is settled then, as a precaution I will have Ms. Santos monitor the tryouts. Coach Williams, this is to ensure the tryouts are fair and honest."

"Of course," Williams huffed. "Mrs. Kelly, I will treat this young lady just like she was one of my boys. No breaks, no easy plays, nothin.'"

/

Grace stumbled into first period history and took her seat by Owen, a boy she had sat to in one class or another for the past three years. They had become closeish over the years of being lab, project, and presentation partners; despite that they never became friends outside of class. She leaned over and took her books out quietly, and grabbed a note from him.

Quickly she unfolded it.  
_"How did it go?"_

Looking up Grace saw the teacher was busy writing notes on the board.  
_"Good, I think. Tryouts are this afternoon."_

She slipped the note back to Owen before she began jotting down the notes on the board.

Grace felt eyes on her. There were some kids here that were at the tryouts yesterday; they would have seen her humiliation. But this afternoon they would see what she was made of, and they would see how they underestimated Grace Morgan.

/

In the hallway at lunch Ricky approached Mona. She had her head bent down, concentrating on drinking from the fountain.  
He tried to look cool by leaning against the lockers, but his sweaty hands could not get a good grip and Ricky fell.

"Ricky, what are you doing all the way down there?" Mona smirked.

"I was um..." He sheepishly looked at her. "Trying to look cool."

"Come on." Mona extended a hand and helped him up. "Now, why were you trying to look cool? Was it for little old me?"

"Ummm..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "What would you say if I said yes?..."

"I would say it was very sweet of you."

He smiled. "Thanks... Listen, Mona. I was thinking about what you said yesterday about the dance and... I would love to go with you, if you would still want me to."

"I was hoping you would say yes." She kissed him on the cheek . "I'll see you tonight at rehearsal."

Ricky stood like a fool watching her walk away.

"So, what was that bro?"

He turned around to see Grace leaning against the lockers. "I... umm... she is going to the dance with me."

"Awww!" Grace poked Ricky. "You two are cute together. So, do you want to know how this morning went?"

"Sure..." Ricky was still in a stupor over what happened.

"I get to try out for the team after school. And I know you have rehearsal so I won't be offended if you can't come. You need to go and be with your looover!"

"Hey!" Ricky playfully shoved Grace. "We are just friends going to a dance together."

"Yeah right." She rolled her eyes. "Now, come on and lets grab lunch. If we are lucky Andrea will have saved us a seat."

/

In the cafeteria Grace and Ricky plunked themselves down at the table nicknamed the BAU corner.

"What took you two soo long?" Andrea dipped a chicken nugget into the sauce. "Lunch began thirty minutes ago."

Grace put her tray down and took her spot next to Kat. "I needed to catch up on my history notes and Ricky here needed to make puppy eyes at Mona."

He almost choked on his drink. "No I didn't!"

"Then what did you call that stare? I saw you glancing at her butt as she left."

"I did not!"

"Keep telling yourself that." Grace rolled her eyes before biting into her burger.

"So Grace, how did this morning go?" Grace looked at Kat. "Sorry, Andrea told me about yesterdays football incident."

Grace swallowed her food. "I am trying out for the team after school. Uncle Aaron and my mom owned the coach and principle." She took a sip of her drink and sat back. "And I will own that football field."

Andrea grinned. "Oh you so have to let me watch!"

"I would watch you too but, I have rehearsal with Ricky later on." Kat fiddled with the straw on her juice box.

"Hey, please tell me you saved me a spot."

Andrea scooted over to make room. "Of course Austin."

He sat down beside her and began tucking into his sandwich.

"Oh, I love your cuffs!" Jane exclaimed.

"Thanks." Austin turned the cuffs around on his hand, the spikes flashed in the light. "Just got em last night. And guess what I'm getting at the pet shop tomorrow?"

"Hmm..." Kat pondered. "You are a strange man and thus a pet of yours will be strange as well.. hmm... I am guessing a rat."

"Close." He smiled. "Something else?"

"Can't be a dog. Your mom is still scared of them." Grace said.

"True, you guys get one more guess."

"A snake?"

"Closer." He took a sip of his juice. "An iguana. I talked to my mom and after three years of research and begging she says if I look after it I can have one."

"Omg! Really?!"

"Really. The pet shop has one for sale that they got in last week. I talked to the breeder and he seems like a pretty cool guy." He leaned forward. "So, Grace, heard you got on the team. Good job."

"Not yet." Grace polished off the last of her burger. "I need to try out first. But, that shouldn't be an issue. So, Austin, who are you taking to the big dance?"

He took the spiked bracelet from Jane and put it back on. "No one. I don't really feel like going to an event which only means is to enhance the popularity of the higher social groups."

"You know," Grace sipped her soda. "we could all go together, sans Ricky, and make fun of the social hierarchy. You know, profile the people there."

"Then Jane and I could go. Papa said last night that we could only go as a group."

"Yeah," Jane scoffed. "the only way we'll ever get to date is if we do it behind Papa's back."

"Did you guys hear." Andrea leaned forward. "Jack is coming home for Halloween this year."

"So?" Ricky asked. "He is also bringing Talia. You know, his girlfriend."

"Eh, they aren't right for each other. She is too... preppy. He would be better off with me."

Grace rolled her eyes. "And you think your mom would let you date him? I have a greater chance of dating Henry than you do of dating Jack. And besides, Jack only sees you as a child. Nothing more."

"And besides, if Henry or Jack were caught doing anything to either of you they would be locked up and ruined. Neither are stupid enough to take a risk like that. Also, you four have an awesome friendship. No need to ruin your lives and your friendships just to fit in.  
So, speaking of Henry he came home in rage last night, everything alright?" Austin asked.

"He can go screw himself. I am not talking to him right now nor do I ever intend to talk to him ever again. He can take his pig ass head and go screw himself."

"What?" He furrowed his brow in confusion. "Pig ass?"

"Long story Austin," Andrea placed a hand on his arm. "just stop it now."

"I am so going to get him back. I am gonna hog tie him and-" The bell cut Grace off in her pre-rant. "Damn. Ok, I'll see you guys after tryouts."

As everyone busied themselves grabbing their bags and dumping their trays, no one saw a dirty blonde with green eyes looking at Ricky. Silently wishing he would notice her.

/

Her lungs screamed for air as she ran. The end was almost there, if she could just run a few more meters she would be there.

Behind her, Grace could feel him closing in; readying himself for the tackle. In a bold move she veered to the right, and then to the left, throwing the man off her trail. Racing, she aimed for the patch of grass behind the white line. If she could make it... it would be alright.

In the distance she could hear the screams of her family, Egging her on, giving her the strength to make the last few paces.

Finally, she made it. Her lungs burned as air filled the sacs. Smiling she took the ball and slammed it into the ground.

"Told ya, I can hold my own against your boys!"

Grace sauntered over to the coaches with a huge grin on her face. "So, what did ya think?"

Ms. Santos grinned. "You were flawless Morgan. If it were up to me I would put you on the team in a heartbeat. What is your opinion Tom?"

Coach Williams huffed and spat out some tobacco. "She's too small. Morgan needs to put on some weight and muscle or else she'll be crushed. But, she played as well as my boys, and according to Veronica I have to let her on the team.  
Morgan, practice starts this Friday at 4pm and our first game is next month. Just because you are on the team, don't expect me to play you."

Grace smirked. "I will be so amazing that you will have no choice but to play me."

"We will see. Now go, get out of my sight you troublemaker."

Smiling, she left the field. Her family was waiting on the sidelines to congratulate her.

"Congratulations Grace!" Her mom hugged her tight. "I knew you could do it!"

"Thanks Mom," She walked to Aaron and hugged him "and thanks for helping me."

"Anytime Grace. Sometimes people need to be reminded that these are not the dark ages."

"Actually, the dark ages were not that dark. It was actually a time of innovation and discovery. To label that time period as being dark discredits all the advances made."

"Papa," Kat looked at her dad. "just congratulate her."

"Oh right! Congratulations. I'm not really familiar with football but I will do some research so I can better understand your games." Spencer leaned down and hugged Grace.

"Hey Morgan," Austin pushed his way between Aaron and Spencer. "good job out there. You should have seen the faces on the jocks, it was priceless!"

"Thanks!"

"Gracie..."

She turned around and say Henry. "Hi Mr. LaMontagne."

"Umm... good job?"

"Thanks." She turned her attention to Jane and Andrea who were holding a sign for Grace. "Oh my, you two didn't have to do this."

"We know, but I had some spare time in art class so I made it." Andrea rolled the sign up and gave it Grace. "Here, keep it."

"Oh," Grace hugged her two girlfriends. "you two are amazing."

/

In the auditorium Ricky went over his lines one last time before going on stage to rehearse with Kat. They both landed the lead rolls: Ricky as Mars and Kat as Nerio; two star crossed lovers from Nazi occupied Italy.  
Mona had landed a lesser part but one that got to work closely to Mars which made Ricky nervous and excited.

"Ok kids, lets get started." Mrs. Gibson clapped her hands together to signal the start of the play. "I want to start with Act I, scene II.  
Action!"

Ricky sauntered onto the stage with his script.

"Miss?"

Kat's character shrank back. "Stay away! I am just a girl, please. Don't hurt me..."

He stopped. Like the script called for. In the spotlight Kat's hair glowed. "I... I swear Miss. You are the most beautiful creature. A Melusine... I could never hurt a creature like you."

Kat stood still. "If you are going to kill me... do it now... do not toy with me young man."

"I am not toying with you..." Ricky ducked as the imaginary bomb dropped a couple blocks from him and Kat. "Come, come with me. I will make you safe, I swear."

"And why should I go with you? Your soldiers killed my family, they raped the women of this city, and thus you are my enemy."

"Because," Ricky extended a hand. "if you don't you will die. Please, trust me."

Kat hesitated, her character unsure of what she should do. After another mortar exploded she gave Ricky her hand and they ran off stage together.

"Brilliant. That was a wonderful first reading. You both have wonderful chemistry together!" Mrs. Gibson pulled out another part of the play. "Now, onto Act II, scene I.  
Action."

Mona stirred on the floor, when the play would be performed for real, she would be laying on a bed. "Dear," She stretched out. "honey?"  
She sat up and rubbed her eyes. The room was empty.

Getting up, Mona made her way to the center of the stage which would be her living room. "My husband has been gone for three years. I am lonely. So very lonely. Sure, I get letters from him," Mona walked across the stage, pacing. "but where his words were once filled with longing and love, they are dull and lifeless. Mundane even."  
She put her hand on her heart. "Sometimes I fear his heart is with another. One more beautiful, one more younger."  
"But I am sure he is true. I am sure his heart is still mine. It is the war, the war that has changed his words. How can someone write of love and beauty when their faced with death and misery on a daily basis."

She stood in the center of the stage. "I hate this war. I hate what it has done. It needs to end, it needs to end soon." Using her hand she knocked over an imaginary vase.

"Another brilliant performance. I say, if we are this good on opening day, we will sell out by the second night." Mrs. Gibson flipped her script to another page. "Now, let's move on to Act I, scene I."

/

Ricky ran over to Mona when she was finished. "That was amazing. I loved the way you were able to picture the props around you."

Mona grinned. "Thank you Ricky. You were really good too. Kat is lucky to be pairing with you for the play."

"Ah, we grew up together so we can predict what one another will do. It is only natural that we would both be good at this."

"She is lucky to have known you for so long, Ricky." Mona played with the collar of his shirt. "I wish I could stay, but the next scene we are doing calls for me."

Ricky watched her as Mona disappeared into the back room. Once again the pair of green eyes watched him with envy.


	33. Sway

_Sorry about the wait! I've started working graveyards and all my brain power has been spent altering my sleep pattern. This weekend should be better._  
_But anyways, I have a chapter!_  
_And as usual, I do not own Criminal Minds._

Grace looked into her mother's mirror.

"Honey, you look... amazing." Her mom swept Grace's hair into a loose bun. "Honestly, you should wear things that show off you figure more often."

"Urg..." Grace smoothed the dress. "Mom, I feel so out of place in this..."

"Aunt Penelope, could you do my hair next?"

"Sure Kat. I'm almost done with Grace... just give me a moment."

"How am I expected to move around in this thing?"

"Hold still Grace. I need to pin this flower in your hair." Penelope tried to still her squirming daughter.

Andrea opened the magazine she bought and flipped to the real stories section. "So, Grace, do you think Owen will be at the dance tonight?"

"Why does it matter? We are just classroom buddies."

"It matters because I have seen the way he looks at you." Andrea looked up from the article. "And he's kinda cute."

"Eh," Grace shrugged her shoulders. "I don't see it."

"Of course you don't. Garcia women are blind when it comes to love." Penelope turned Grace around and looked at her daughter from head to toe. "There, you look like a girl, for once. Now, you and Jane go and do your make-up and remember, Jane, only lipstick and eyeshadow. Nothing else."

"Ok Aunt Penelope." The youngest of the group grabbed Grace and dragged her away.

"Now Kat, your turn. How would you like your hair? Up, down, more curls, straight?"

"Straight." Kat looked in the mirror at her unruly self. "I wish this dress could be shorter..."

"No you don't." Penelope grabbed the flat iron. "It looks good on you just as it is. If you want though, I could let you borrow a couple things to jaz it up."

"Thanks. I wish Papa would allow me a little, teeny, weeny, bit more freedom..."

Penelope pinned a section of straight hair up. "You think you have it bad? Just wait until Bridget starts looking at boys. Your Papa will probably make her wear a nun's gown and habit. Just kidding dear. Your Papa has seen a lot of bad things happen to girls your age. You can't blame him for keeping an extra good eye on you."

"But I am not a risky girl; I don't go in strange cars with strangers, I don't go anywhere without someone knowing where I am, and I am aware of my surroundings. I just wish... that Papa would let me go out on dates, go to dances with a boy, you know?"

"I know, but there will be plenty of time for that." She pinned one more strand up. "Just a few more moments and then I can do your hair Andrea."

"Which dress should I wear?" Andrea held up a blue strapless number and a purple dress with one shoulder.

"Wear the blue one!" Came the answer down the hall.

"Jane's right. With your skin colour it will look great on you." Penelope let Kat's hair cascade down. "There. I never knew how long your hair actually was..."

She looked in the mirror and played with her long blonde hair. "Wow, this looks... amazing. I might have to do this more often..."

"I can give you my spare hair straightener if you need. Now, go and finish getting ready."

"Ok." Kat sat up and went to join the two other girls in the bathroom.

Penelope turned her attention to the last girl. "Now, Andrea, what do you want done?"

"Could you do a French braid?"

"Of course, get your tuckus over here and I'll set you up."

Andrea sat down at the vanity. "I wish my mom could be here tonight."

"I know dear. But sometimes these things cannot be helped." Penelope brushed the girl's hair. "Your hair has taken on the most interesting shade of brown."

"Mom says it is from my father." Andrea played with her necklace. "Do you think my mom might marry Greg?"

"Maybe," She began braiding the hair. "they have been together for a few years now. Do you not like him?"

"Oh, I like him. He is very good to me. And he makes Mom happy, which is what counts, right?"

"It counts a little bit, but your feelings also play into it. Would you be comfortable having him around more?"

Andrea grinned. "Yes. At first I resented Greg because, as you know, it was just my mom and I, but now, I can not imagine my family without him."

"Good, now sit still while I pin this in place." Penelope strategically placed bobby pins to help hold the braid in. "And, if I may suggest, my black flower would look great in your hair." Andrea nodded, and Penelope reached into her bow and pulled it out. "It would look best riiight, here."

"Thanks." Andrea touched the fabric flower. "You were right, this does make the outfit." She got up and hugged Penelope. "I love you Aunt Penelope."

"I know, and I love you too sweet pea." Penelope held Andrea tight. "And your mom loves you too, despite everything. Don't forget that." She kissed the top of the girl's head.

"I won't." Andrea drew back smiling.

"Good, now scram and get your makeup on. I need to check on the boys." Penelope ushered the girl out and made her way to Ricky's room.  
Since the rest of the team had been called away on a case, the group decided to get ready at the Garcia/Morgan house.

"Boys," Penelope tapped on the door. "how is it going in there?"

"Fine Mom." Came the muffled reply.

"Do you mind if I come in?"

"Sure."

Penelope opened the door and stepped in. "Oh Ricky, you look adorable!"

"Mom!"

"Here, you need your collar fixed though." Penelope folded down the back of his shirt. "There, now you look perfect. What time are we picking Mona up?"

"Seven."

"Hmm... that gives the girls another half an hour. It should be good." She looked at Austin who was wearing a pair of ragged jeans and a tuxedo tshirt. "And is that what you are wearing?"

Her shrugged his shoulders. "Why not?"

"Well, don't you want to look... nice?"

"Eh, I want to feel like myself. Not some fool tricked out for a show."

"Whatever. The girls like a guy with angst. Do you need to borrow my black eyeliner tonight?"

"Thanks Aunt P but I brought my own."

"Alright. I'm just going to be in my office working. Uncle Aaron just texted me a request for my services. If either of you need anything, call me."

"Will do mom, now can you please go?"

"Sure, I just need to kiss my little man before I go." She leaned down and planted a kiss on his cheek. "There, now I can leave."

"Mom!" Ricky wiped the red smudge off his face. "That was gross!"

"That, was so worth it, Have fun boys."

As soon as the door shut Ricky tore off his bow tie. "I hate this... it feels... weird..."

"Why do you think I opted for this shirt? Comfortable, has a bit of taste, and it is me."

Ricky fiddled with his watch. "I want to look somewhat presentable for Mona tonight... by the way, what do you think of her?"

"Eh, she is alright I guess. A little too bubbly for my taste. But if you like her, go for it."

"I like that she is bubbly. And she is so bold. I love that."

Austin flipped through the Tolling Stones magazine. "Then go for her."

"I will."

/

Penelope watched from the van as the kids made their way inside the gymnasium of the school. They were growing up into a fine bunch of young adults.  
In a few years they would follow Jack and Henry's lead and would strike out on their own in order to forge their own paths.

The thought of her own babies leaving filled Penelope with sadness. She had watched them grow, learn, and thrive. And when she had started to cut the ties in order to give Grace and Rickie more freedom... she felt a piece of her go with them.

She sighed and put the car in drive. Maybe this summer she could get in a family road trip with just the three of them. In the meantime, she was needed by her team for a search.

/

Once inside Mona grabbed Ricky's hand and dragged him to the middle of the dance floor. "I love this song!"

"I... I can't dance..." Ricky stood in front of her. Frozen like a fool.

"Then," She took both of Ricky's hands in her's. "follow my lead!" Mona wrapped her arms around Ricky and drew him close.

Grace leaned against the food table and watched the pair. The way Mona pulled/coerced Ricky around the dance floor amused her.  
Sometimes her brother could be too up tight, too by the books, too... safe. Maybe this girl would bring him out a bit.

"Look at all of them." Austin tossed back a glass of punch. "All tricked out in their best in hopes of attracting someone."

"Except the jocks. All of 'em have jeans and team shirts." Grave picked at the cheezies in her hand.

"Oh," Austin grinned. "they have to ensure the entire room knows of their social standing. Those team shirts are the jock equivalent of a baboon's butt."

Grace covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. "I know. It gets tiring hearing them brag all the time at practice. So are _you_ just going to stand here all night or do you have your eyes on someone?"

"Eh," Austin shrugged. "kinda. Though she is off limits to me at the moment."

She gasped. "Who? Who is your forbidden girl and why is she off limits?"

"Who, I will not say." He filled his glass back up. "As for off limits, I know her dad and he would kill me if I laid a hand on her."

"Is she pretty?"

"Hmm..." Austin looked around the room. "of course she is. In a year or two she will be perfect."

"Well," Grace elbowed him. "I can't wait to meet the girl that has stolen your gaze."

"You'll meet her soon enough. As for you, Grace... I think someone wants to talk to you."

She turned to were Austin had pointed too. Her classroom partner Owen coming her way. "Oh no..."

"Oh yes. I think I will leave you two alone." Austin smirked as he walked away.

Grace looked up at Owen. Their relationship, or whatever they had, was platonic. Nothing more. And Grace had no wish to change it. Hell, right now she had no wish to be with any guy.

"Uh... Hi Grace." Owen bit the inside of his cheek. "How... how are you?"

"Good, though this dance is pretty lame. I think I might head out."

"Oh, well, before you go could I... could we dance?"

"Sorry Owen, I don't dance." Grace leaned further back on the table.

"And why is that, Grace Morgan?" Owen spoke with a new found confidence. "Is it because it is the one thing in the world you are not good at?"

"I can dance." She levelled a glare. "I just do not like to."

He leaned against the table. "I'll make you a deal Morgan. One dance with me and I will let you be. I will even do the pig dissection next week for you."

"Deal. But if there is any funny business, I will break you Owen Truong."

"Alright." He took Grace's hand and led her to the edge of the dance floor. She made a note that his palm was excessively sweaty.

'Not as confident as you appear Mr. Truong.' She thought.  
At first it was strange. The only time she had ever danced was in her room, alone. Looking over she saw Mona and Ricky.  
Grace made a note to follow what she was doing.

After a moment she had allowed the music to envelop her and began to sway her body. It seemed as if the rest of the world had cut itself off from them, leaving the pair with only each other.  
She looked up at Owen and for the first time, noticed how beautiful his eyes were... how they were so full of life, of feeling, of... hope.

And for the first moment since that night at the park, she found that her heart didn't ache.

/

"Hey," Mona grabbed the collar of his shirt. "why don't we get out of here for a bit? I know a lovely spot by the river."

Ricky glanced around. "I don't know. I'm supposed to stay here... and my mom would kill me if she found out I left."

"Why says she will find out?" Mona pouted. "Come on Ricky, live a little. Think, we can be totally alone for a few moments."

As he looked into her eyes Ricky tried to recall something Uncle Will had said about Thailand, bare feet, and women. "Su... Sure. Let's go. But I to tell Grace where I am going."

Mona sighed in frustration. "Ah, come on Hot Stuff." She pulled him in closer and wrapped her arms around him. "Walk on the wild side for once."

He relented. "Alright."

Smiling, she took his hand and dragged him out of the gym.


	34. Alex

_Good evening. Thanks to everyone for their review on the last chapter. It was nerve wracking posting it. But it feels good knowing that it was well received. And thank you for your patience.  
Anyways, I do not own Criminal Minds_

Ricky stood on the edge of the river; his hands gripped the rail as he leaned over.

"You know, this is where my mom and dad would go on their dates."

"Is that right?" Mona snuggled into his shoulder. "I can see why, this spot is soo romantic. Do you not agree?"

"Yeah... yes I do I mean that I do agree." He looked into the black waters below and sighed.  
"You know Mona, sometimes when I come here I can feel something strange... comforting but strange."

She placed a hand on his. "It is probably your dad. When you leave this earth... you leave parts of you behind that connect you to places or people you loved in life." Mona shrugged. "Or at least that is what my mom says."

"So... I think we should head back. The dance will be over soon and my mom will freak if we are not there."

"Come on... let's stay a bit longer. Pleeaase?" Mona batted her black eyelashes at him while playing with his hair.

"I um... I guess we could stay a few more moments, but we should get back... Why don't we compromise and begin walking back, slowly?"

"Ok." Mona led Ricky away from the water. "So, have you lived here all your life?"

"Yeah, Grace and I have been lucky to grow up surrounded by family. The only family we have to travel to is my Dad's." He took his hand from Mona's and wrapped his arm around her waist. A bold move for him. "How about you?"

"Oh, my dad lives in New York and my mom lives here. I've moved around place to place, wherever my mom's postings take her."

"Is she in the FBI or CIA?" Ricky asked.

"Neither. Military. She's been in the army since before I was borne. I'm hoping to stay here until graduation, at least." She glanced up at him. "I like it here, and it would be a shame to leave you."

Ricky laughed, nervously. "Yeah, it would. I've never met anyone like you Mona... and I love... like, spending time with you. A lot."

"I know. Hey, up ahead. It looks like we are not the only ones here tonight."

He looked up ahead at two people sitting on a bench. Obviously on a date. "Yeah. Hey... wait." He squinted and tried to make out the man. "I think I know him. Wait here for a moment." Ricky dropped his arm and stealthily made his way over to the couple. He used the bushes to mask his figure.

"I'm having a really good time tonight Carla."

The female snuggled into the man. "That makes two of us Andrew. You know, it is a shame you're not in New York more often. The kids miss you."

"I know, but my work takes me around... as much as I would love to I do not have time to spend with you and the kids. But hey, we have tonight and tomorrow before you have to fly back home. Just you and me for the next 18 hours, darling." Andrew put a hand under the mystery woman's chin, drew her lips up to him, and kissed her. Deeply. The way one would kiss a lover.

Ricky's eyes shot open. He had only met his Aunt Alex's husband a handful of times but he knew that voice, and his face.  
Slowly, Ricky he backed up towards Mona.

"What was that Ricky?"

He took her hand and began to lead her away. "That, I think was my Aunt Alex's husband making out with a different woman."

Mona's jaw dropped. "Seriously?!"

"Well, I don't know the whole story... but this sure looks like he is cheating on her." Ricky looked back at the bench. "We should head back... I don't want him to see us..."

"Sure..." She looked back at the couple for a moment. "Do you really think it is him?"

"I am positive. It sounded like him and it sure as hell looked like him."

"Will you tell her?"

Ricky shook his head. "I don't know... if I do it will hurt Aunt Alex, if I do not and she finds out it will hurt her. But on the other hand she might never find out and might just live her life with him in ignorant bliss."

She tightened the grip on his hand. "If I were her, I would want to know."

/

Ricky and Mona came back just as the dance had ended. Ricky spotted the rest of the group by the school's water fountain.

Once he had made it to the group, Ricky released Mona's hand and dragged Grace into a secluded area.

"Where were you?" She hissed. "You are lucky Mom is late or else she would have had your hide!"

"Shhh!" He looked around. "I have some news, some big news. And I am not sure what to do..." He began pacing.

"What is it?"

"Promise not to breathe a word of this to anyone."

"Why?" Ricky glared. "Alright, I promise, now spill!"

"Mona and I were at the park," He leaned forward. "and we were walking along the river when I saw Andrew with another woman. As in someone who was not Aunt Alex."

Grace gasped. "Are you sure it was him?"

"Yes I am sure. It sounded just like him and sure as hell looked like him."

"We need to talk to Mom about this..."

"No!" His eyes lit up in worry. "She can't know."

"And why not?" Grace put her hands on her hips. "We need to talk to someone about this."

"If she knows she will tell Aunt Alex and then Aunt Alex will be hurt, and," Ricky looked at her with puppy eyes. "I like Aunt Alex... and I do not want to hurt her."

Grace took Ricky's hands. "It will not be you hurting her, it will be Andrew. Think, if Mona was with another man and I knew about it, you would want me to tell you right?" Ricky nodded. "Then we need to tell Mom. She will know how to go around this."

Ricky sighed and ran his hand through his curly hair. "Why can't people be happy with what they have?"

"Ricky! Grace! Your mom's here!" Austin hollered from the fountain.

Grace looked at Ricky. "We'll talk to her when we get home."

/

Penelope unlocked the car and allowed the crew to pile into her van. "So, how was everyone's night?"

Austin looked out the door as he buckled his belt. "I think it went well. I had a decent time observing the different social groups."

Kat settled into a seat beside Ricky. "I danced with a couple cute guys, but please don't tell my Papa that."

"And I convinced Austin to dance once, with me." Jane pipped up. "Though he grumbled the entire time." She playfully elbowed the boy, and laughed when he squealed in protest.

His jet black hair fell into his face; blocking the others from seeing the content look in his eyes. "That is because I hate dancing. It makes no sense to act like a fool unless you have the intention of attracting a member of the opposite sex. And tonight I was more content with looking than attracting."

"Hey, calm down back here." Penelope got into the driver's seat and revved the vehicle to life. "How about you Andrea, did you have fun?"

"Yes. I danced with a couple guys. But I mostly stuck with Jane and Kat. It was Grace that lit up the dance floor with Owen." She threw a sideways glance. "I think they spent almost the whole night together."

Penelope looked in the rear view mirror. "Owen... hmm... that is the guy you always partner with in classes, right? Grace? Hello!"

Her mother's voice snapped Grace back to reality and drew her attention away from the blurry houses that passed them by. "Yeah, what mom?"

"Andrea told me you actually danced with Owen, is this true?"

"Yeah, so what?" Grace shrugged. "He wouldn't stop bugging me until I did. I only did it so he would leave me alone!"

"Ha, yeah right." Austin smirked. "Then why did you spend the rest of the night dancing with him?" He unbuckled his black choker and rubbed his neck, and sighed in relief.

"Because," Grace thought quickly. "we were talking about our history project."  
She would never, ever, had confessed that she actually liked dancing with Owen. He was totally not his type. He wasn't tall, didn't have long shaggy blonde hair, or had midnight blue eyes. But he was nice, kind, and surprised shared a lot of interests with her.

"Honestly sis, couldn't you have come up with a better excuse."

She glared at Ricky and leaned over. "Cut it out or I'll tell Mom you were wandering around with Mona." Looking around she tried to find something to change the subject.

"So Andrea, nervous about your driving test tomorrow?"

"Eh, a little but I'm sure that I'll pass it. Greg used to be a driving instructor and he has been the one teaching me soo... my chances are pretty good."

"Well Andrea, once you get your license you can be the taxi driver instead of me." Penelope joked. "And speaking of you kiddo, this is your stop." She pulled in front of the blue townhouse. "Let me know how it goes, ok?"

"Will do Aunt Penny." Andrea grabbed her black clutch, climbed over Grace and Ricky. "Thanks for everything. I'll return your stuff next time I see you. Or my mom will bring it into work, whichever comes first."

"That's fine. Take care sweetie." Penelope waved at her adopted niece as the door closed. She waited until Andrea was inside the house before driving off. Penelope repeated the same with each child until it was just her and the twins.

She pulled up to their house about quarter to eleven.

"Ok you two. It is late so when we get in shower and then go to bed, ok?"

"Alright," Ricky unbuckled his belt. "But before... can we talk about something..."

Penelope narrowed her eyes in concern. "Sure... I'll be in my office finishing up some things. Just knock before you enter... You remember what happened last time."

He cringed at the memory of the pictures of the disemboweled women that he had seen last time he walked in without knocking. "No worries Mom... no need to worry about that."

/

Penelope looked from her computer screens to the photo album that laid before her. She fingered the photograph of the two infants sitting on her and David's lap. So much had chanced. David's salt and pepper hair had lost it's pepper, she had begun to see specks of white in her own hair, Ricky and Grace would be graduating in two years, and they were starting to explore who they were and where they wanted to go in life.

Ricky had begun looking into a career as a doctor. It made sense. He had a drive and want to help people; and a love for human anatomy. When he begun talking about a medical degree, Penelope had been thankful to have Spencer's connections to Yale. It would help when coming to securing a scholarship. But alas, when it came to girls... Penelope had to disagree with his choice. Mona was exciting, enticing, and pretty. But she was not right for him. She imagined her son with someone much different. But, it was his life, not hers. If Penelope's intuition was correct, Ricky would have to come to that realization on his own.

Her daughter was self assured and confident; Grace knew what she wanted from life and would never let something or someone get in her way. Sure, she wished Grace had more of a feminine side but her daughter knew who she was and Penelope would not strip her daughter of her self confidence.  
Grace always had the wish to join the BAU and had begun to seriously look into the path.  
But she was reckless, bone headed, and stubborn. And when she wanted something she became fixated on that one thing. Which is what made her such a goal driven person

She knew Derek would be happy with how their children were turning out. As for herself, Penelope figured she had done a good job so far with being a single parent

"Mom, can I come in?"

Penelope blackened the screens and closed her book. "Sure Honey."

The door creaked open and Ricky sulked inside. "Mom. I need to ask you something..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Let's say that I know someone was doing something that could really hurt another person. But it is something that she, I mean they, should really know about."

"Well," Penelope played with the fluff on her pen. "I would say that the person needs to know. They would figure it out eventually and sooner is better..." She raised an eyebrow. "What have you done young man?"

Ricky raised his hands in protest. "It is not me Mom. I'm innocent." He sat in the chair next to her, and played with her fingers. "It is Aunt Alex... tonight Mona and I were in the park together... I know, we shouldn't have been there but it was kinda a good thing that we were there because..."  
He bit the inside of his cheek. "I saw Aunt Alex's husband in the park with another woman."

Penelope's eyes widened in shock. "Are you sure it was Andrew?"

"I...' I'm sure Mom. I mean at first it only sounded like him but I came closer and saw him. It was him." He winced at the hurt expression on his mother's face. "And I am sure it was another woman... she was blonde, and younger. Oh, and they mentioned kids..."

Penelope leaned forward. "Richard. This is a very serious thing to say. I need you to be 100% that was Andrew and that he was with another woman. Because if it was not him a lot of people could get hurt."

"I am sure it was him Mom. How many times do I have to say it?!" He got up and started pacing. "And I know Aunt Alex will be hurt... but like you said she needs to know. But I am scared. It is my word against Andrew's. How is this going to play out... how will I tell her..."

"Calm down Ricky. Calm down and sit." She grabbed his hand and led him back to the chair. "Honey, sit down."

"Listen, I know this is hard. Just calm down and let me handle it." Penelope placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't mention this to anyone else, alright? I need to do a couple things and then I will talk to Aunt Alex about Andrew. Now, go and wash up."

/

Penelope sat looking at Andrew Blake's financial records. She couldn't believe her eyes. Every three months he flew back to New York, and then would randomly spend a few nights in Quantico. His statements showed purchases for family products, romantic gifts from places that Penelope _knew_ Alex wouldn't like, and payments to a private high school.

'Well I be damned... it looks like he is cheating... big time.' She leaned back and took her glasses off. Sure, when Alex first arrived she had been suspicious about the new member, but over time, she had become close to her.  
This would have to be done delicately. And after she told Alex, if her friend wanted her to, Penelope would ruin Andrew Blake. She would send him to where even loan sharks would not touch him.


	35. Alex Part 2

_Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter. They were really welcomed. And finally, here is another chapter._  
_As usual I do not own Criminal Minds._

Penelope sat at the kitchen table with Alex. They had spent the past hour talking about meaningless topics, about things that did not really matter so much.  
She looked into the mocha coloured liquid. "So, I am guessing that by now you have used your super profiling skills to determine that something is wrong."

"Well," Alex plunked another sugar cube and stirred it into her coffee. "you don't usually invite me over out of the blue. And when I do come over the kids are here. This is the first time we have been alone in your house on a Saturday. So yes, something is not quite right, is it?"

"Yeah," Penelope played with the rim of her cup. "have you heard from Andrew lately?"

"Yes, last weekend when we were on the case in Pittsburgh he called me." Alex rubbed the gold band on her ring finger. "Andrew said he was in Argentina administering vaccinations to infants and children in need." She turned her chestnut eyes to Penelope. "I admire what he does... I really do, but I wish he was home more often."

Penelope bit her lip. "Alex. I am not sure how to tell you this but... last weekend Ricky slipped away from the dance with Mona, I think she is his girlfriend now but I am not sure, anyways, he spotted something at the park..." She took a deep breath in. "He saw Andrew there with another woman."

"No," Alex narrowed her eyes. "that can not be. He was in Argentina. Richard must have been mistaken." She leaned back into the chair. "You know how over active a teenage boy's mind can be. And besides, it was dark out."

"That is what I thought at first but I did some digging, just because I wanted to make sure Andrew was not being all sleazy. And..." Penelope reached into her bag and pulled out a small stack of papers. "I found these... I am so sorry Alex. And believe me when I say that man will be in a world of hurt."

Alex took the papers and looked them over. "I never knew he had a secret bank account... How... why?" She looked over the purchases, the plane tickets, everything. Including the New York mailing address listed for the account.  
"There has to be a reason for this Penelope. He isn't the promiscuous type."

"I'm not saying he is, but the evidence speaks for itself. And you know that Richard would never, ever, make something like this up."

"You don't know that Garcia." Alex glared. "For all you know that Mona is filling his head with all sorts of false ideas and thoughts. And as I stated before it was dark. It probably is not my Andrew." She got up abruptly. "I think it is time I go home. We have had better coffee afternoons but I do have to say, this was pretty awful."

"Alex, wait!"

She spun around. "Do not talk to me right now Garcia. I have no wish to speak to you nor anyone else right now except my husband, my faithful and loyal husband." And with that Alex Blake stormed out of the kitchen and out the front door. Leaving Penelope stunned in silence.

Shaking, she picked up the filled coffee cups and tossed the liquid down the drain. Penelope leaned against the counter and sighed. She had been where Alex was. When Penelope had went underground she met an amazing man who she came to love, or at least she thought she loved him. In reality she was just holding the place of the girl who he really wanted.  
And when he had his dream girl, Kirk forgot to tell her it was over. Well, not forget, but merely kept seeing her on the side.

Denial would be the first step, and if Alex pushed hard enough Andrew would confess. Penelope did not know if it was the rage or the truth that made her imagine Andrew as a weakling that did not like confrontation.

Grabbing her cell phone she began to text but stopped halfway through. She couldn't send this out to anyone. And her kids were gone for the day.  
There was only one person she could talk to... and Penelope debated talking to him. Eventually she picked her phone back up and dialed the number.

/

She sat in the nook of David's kitchen and looked out the window while he prepared the tea.

"So, Kitten, what brings you around here today?"

"I think Alex hates my guts..."

David handed her the hot mug and sat down across from her. "I don't believe it. There is nothing you can do to make someone hate you."

"Thanks," She put the mug down. "but you have a false opinion of me." Penelope crossed her legs and folded her arms in her lap. "You have to swear that what I am about to tell you will stay between you and I."

"Bambina, I am hurt that you would even think I could not hold a secret. Of course I can keep it between us. I take it this is a delicate matter?"

"Yes. One of the most delicate matters one can be burdened with." Penelope leaned forward. "So about a week ago when the kids were at that dance. Ricky sneaked off with Mona halfway through the dance so they could go to the park Derek and I would go to. Anyways, guess who Ricky saw making out on a park bench? Andrew Blake, Alex's husband."

David sat still for a moment, his cup halfway to his lips, trying to take in the news. "You mean... no... that woman had to be Alex. But we were on a case." He put his cup down. "Are you sure? And was Ricky sure? Because what I have seen of him, Andrew is a very nice man."

"I know. That is why I did a background check on him. A really deep one and guess what? He has a secret bank account in which he was paying tuition to a top notch boarding school for teenagers, stuff only a husband or a boyfriend would buy, and, also for plane tickets that all lead back to New York. It all points to Andrew being a real scumbag."

"I would have to agree with you."

Penelope shifted her eyes around the small nook. "But that is not all. Ricky mentioned that Andrew had been talking about kids, his kids. And judging by the transactions on his account... he has at least one kid in high school." She bit her lip. "And you recall all those times Alex said that she wanted children? That rat bastard robbed her of that."

"And let me guess, you told her all of this, this morning?"

"...Yes. And don't look at me like that David. If I had been in her shoes I would have wanted to know. And that rat bastard needs to be held accountable for his actions. He cheated on Alex. He cheated on our friend, a member of our family. I understand she is mad but... she is going to be alright, isn't she?"

David rubbed his goatee. "Maybe in time. But this news would have come as a shock to her. She will be mad at you, Ricky, and Andrew, along with anyone else who puts themselves in her path. The best thing to do is to let her be. Alex knows if that she needs anything we will be here."

"Why do you always have to be the voice of reason?"

"Because Kitten," David grinned. "someone in our strange family needs to be. And it does help that I've been where Alex is." He took his tea and rolled the hanging string between his fingers. "My second wife, Allison, cheated on me with my butler. Caught them in the linen closet together." He took a sip. "What gets me is that she still managed to get the better deal in the divorce..."

Penelope leaned forward. "Do you think Alex will get a divorce?"

"If she doesn't, I would be surprised. I don't think anyone could get past that level of betrayal and mistrust."

"Thank you for listening David. I know that I shouldn't talk to anyone about this but I needed to. And I knew you would be discreet."

"No worries Kitten."

/

Penelope sat the pot of mac and cheese down on the table next to the bowl of cut up hot dogs. "There you two go. Your favourite." She pulled out her chair and sat down between her kids. "So, Grace, how was practice today?"

"Good." She scooped out a spoonful of the cheesy pasta. "Coach had us run through a few plays and we did drills. I think he kinda likes me now, though he is still harder on me than the rest of the team." Grace speared a few hot dog pieces with her fork and mixed them into the pasta.  
"I think he might actually play me in our first game."

"And when will that be?" Penelope asked.

"Two weeks from now. We play Central high, and it is a home game." Grace muttered through spoonfuls. "How many tickets will I need to scrounge up?"

"Hmm... let's see. There is me, Ricky, Nonno, Uncle Aaron, Auntie J.J., Henry, Uncle Will, Austin, Aunt Em, Andrea, Aunt Alex, Uncle Spencer, Aunt Anna, Kat, Jane, and Bridget... so... sixteen."

Grace glared. "Fifteen. Henry isn't coming."

"Unless he is studying I am sure he will want to come."

She shook her head. "I don't want him there. He'll bring me back luck."

Penelope sighed. "If he wants to come he is coming. It would be unfair to invite everyone else and leave him out." She took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Honestly Gracie, I do not know what has been going on between you two but it needs to be fixed."

"Alright," Grace slammed her spoon down. "but if he comes Owen and Mona need to come too.

"Stop it with the attitude young lady."

Grace smirked. "Or what? You'll ground me, send me to my room, huh? What will you do Mom?"

"You know that sleepover you were going to have with Andrea next weekend? Not happening anymore."

"Aw Mom, that is unfair." She pushed her chair back. "You know why I don't want Henry there? Do you want to know? I don't want him there because he kissed me and acted like it was a big mistake. So excuse me for not wanting him around me." Grace snorted before storming off.

"Ricky, did you know anything about that?"

"I did. But Mom, Grace made me swear I would not tell you." He put his spoon down and leaned forward. "I hate being the one that knows about all those dirty things."

Penelope was trying to wrap her head around the new development. "And you did not think this was something I needed to know? Ricky, he is six years older than her, six. It may not seem like a big deal but it is." She sighed. "And now I have to talk to Auntie J.J. about this. God, I wish I was a kid some days."

Ricky looked up at her and cracked a smile. "Trade ya Mom."

"I'm going to talk with her. When you are finished can you put away the leftovers?" Penelope pushed her chair back and got up.

"Sure Mom."

She began walking up the stairs but was stopped by the doorbell. "Who could it be at this time of night. Ricky, are you expecting Mona?"

"No. She's in New York this weekend."

Penelope cautiously made her way to the door. Usually people coming by at this time were not the type of people you wanted at your door. Carefully she looked in the peephole and saw a soaked Alex Blake.

Quickly Penelope opened the door.

"Hun, you are soaked, come in."

"...Thanks." Alex walked in and took off her soaked coat. "Listen, Penelope, about earlier, I am sorry."

She engulfed the older woman in a tight hug. "Alex, you have nothing to be sorry about." Her grip tightened as she felt Alex's body shake with sobs.

"You were right... I confronted him with the information... he... he..."

"Come her and sit down." She led Alex to the couch. "Ricky, can you get Aunt Alex a cup of hot chocolate?" Penelope turned her attention back to the weeping woman. "I am so sorry to do this but we have a bit of a personal issue. I need to go talk to Grace but I will be right back down. I swear." She hugged Alex before bounding up the stairs.

/

Penelope softly knocked on her daughter's door. "Honey, can I come in?"

"You're gonna do it no matter what, so come on in."

She pushed open the door and walked over to Grace's bed. "Sug, I am so sorry." Penelope sat down beside the curled up figure. "Listen, if you do not want Henry at the game, he doesn't have to come. To be honest Gracie, I am a bit mad at him too. I trusted him and by kissing you he broke that trust." Penelope clenched her fists. "I should have know he was bad news when he called you cute. You two were little then, but still."

"Sweetie," She ran a hand down Grace's back. "you are a great girl. The perfect female mix of Dad and me. And I know he would be so proud of how you turned out."

"Really?" Grace sniffed. "Even now?"

"Even now. But he probably would have killed Henry."

Grace sat up, leaned back against the wall, and pulled her legs to her chest. "He would have been that protective?"

"Oh you have no idea." Penelope laughed. "When I was shot he stayed by my side for a full week. I had to beg him to go on a case. And every time Kevin looked my way Dad would glare at him soo hard, I swore Kevin would have burst into flames.  
As for you, he probably would have interrogated any boy that even dared to look at you."

"Wow..." Grace turned her eyes onto her mom. "Would it be bad if I said I liked kissing Henry?"

"Right now, yes. That age difference is too... large. You still need that chance to find out what you want from life and who you want to be. And who knows what the future holds for you. Maybe you'll end up with Oliver, maybe you'll meet a nice young man in college or the academy. We do not know, and that is the beauty of the future." She wrapped an arm around Grace. "And if Henry lays another hand on you, let me know."

"I will Mom." Grace sniffed. "Mom, I love you."

"I love you too sweet pea." Penelope kissed the top of Grace's head. "And you know what, you can still have that sleepover."

"Thanks."

/

Ricky brought the hot chocolate out carefully. Trying his best not to spill it on the hardwood floor. "Here Aunt Alex. If it's not hot enough I can nuke it a few more seconds for you." He put the cup down in front of her.

"I am sure it is perfect Ricky. Thanks." Alex took the cup and took a tentative sip. "Yes, it is indeed perfect."

He sat down in the recliner. "I am sorry Aunt Alex. I never meant to hurt you..."

Alex put the cup back down on the wooden coffee table. "Richard, you were not the one who hurt me so you have no reason to feel remorse. It was Andrew that hurt me, that ruined everything." The grip on her knee tightened. "If anything I should have seen something sooner. There were signs. I'm a profiler. I should have seen something."

"Aunt Alex..."

"Ricky, you can go upstairs and start on your homework."

"Yes Mom." He got up and bounded up the stairs; relieved to be taken away from the situation at hand.

"Alex..." Penelope sat down beside her friend. "here, go and change into some dry clothes. These might be too small in the leg so let me know if they fit or not." She handed her a set of pj's and a towel."

"Thanks Penelope..." Alex gingerly took the pile and headed to the downstairs bathroom. She closed the door and leaned against the cold wood. Tonight had been one of the worst nights she had experienced since Derek's death and she knew tomorrow would not be any better.

After a moment she stripped off her wet clothes and hung them on the edge of the bathtub.

She looked down at her body. No longer was she a young woman. Alex could see why Andrew... why that bastard, would be attracted to someone younger. Someone more... fertile.

Alex shook her head to banish those thoughts. Sure she was older, but that gave no reason for Andrew to spread his seed elsewhere. She should have divorced him years ago.

She dressed in the pj's that Penelope gave her, thankful that they fit. Using the towel Alex dried her hair and then brushed the strands into a state of semi neatness. She wiped away the streaks of mascara the best she could but slight reminders remained.  
Once somewhat satisfied with her appearance she came out of the bathroom.

"Here, I reheated it for you." Penelope handed her the hot cup. "Do they fit you well?"

"Yes," Alex sat back down on the couch, and tucked her legs underneath her. "thank you." Her hands clung onto the mug. "Penelope, I apologize for my behaviour earlier today. You were right." She ran her finger along the handle. "I confronted him with the evidence and after an hour of yelling he confessed." Alex blinked away her tears. "He's been with her for twelve years now. He has a daughter with her. She is young, blonde, sexy, fertile, everything I am not..."

Penelope reached out and touched Alex's shoulder. "You are beautiful Alex, do not thing otherwise. You are pretty, smart, brave, strong, loyal, and yes you are sexy too. Andrew is a fool to have done something so stupid. He will regret losing you."

"I'm divorcing him. I am going to take him to the cleaners and ruin him. I sent an email to his 'wife'," Alex's voice was laced with venom. "and told her about what Andrew has been doing. I think she was just as clueless as I to what our husband was up to." She turned her cold eyes to Penelope. "He will rue the day he crossed me Penelope. I will make him pay for this hurt."

"And everyone in the team will stand behind you." Penelope's grip on Alex's shoulder tightened. "You are one of us and no one crosses anyone in our family."

Alex sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "You know Penelope, when I first was hired I thought no one liked me. It was hard stepping into Emily's shoes after she spent all those years with the team. Everyone was hostile and... mean, at first. But when you gave me that mug, which I still have, I knew that eventually I would become a part of the team and would be accepted. Thank you."

"You're welcome. And thank you too Alex."

"For what?" She raised a brow in question.

"For being there for me when I needed it. You are a true friend. Now, you finish your hot chocolate. I'm going to get us a bottle of wine and I'll pop in a movie."

"Which one?"

Penelope grinned. "Braveheart. I know, I know, it is a very historically inaccurate movie but, it is what we need right now. A chick flick with awesome battle scenes. We'll make the best out of tonight and tomorrow we will chart the course that needs to be taken. Do not worry, everything will be fine."


	36. First Game

_First, I am sorry if the football terminology and gameplay is wrong. I know soo very little about football and had to google just about everything, lol. But, I tried my best so please don't be mad_. And the Derek/David typo is fixed.  
_Second, thanks for the reviews. As usual I get excited about each and every one!_  
_Thirdly, I do not own Criminal Minds, and probably never will._

Grace sat on the edge of the bench, her fists clenched and her eyes filled with want. It was near the end of the 3rd quarter and the team was down by twelve points.  
She looked up at an anxious coach.  
"Coach Williams, play me!"

"Never." He huffed. "We need to win this and like hell we'll win it with a girl on the field."

"But you know I am good Coach. You've seen me at practice." Grace shouted over the noise of the game.

"Coach," Bobby McKinney stepped up beside him. "What could it hurt?"

"We stand a chance at winning now, we can come back from this. If I play _her_ we will stand no chance at winning. And Central will never stop laughing in our faces." He crossed his arms. "Now sit down boy and get ready to go in soon."

/

By the middle of the fourth period the team was still down by twelve points and it did not look good.

"Coach, play me! You have nothin' to lose."

Coach Williams mumbled under his breath as he watched his team give yet another advantage to Central. "Alright kid. I'll give you one shot. IF you let them score one more point you will be benched for the remainder of the year, got it?" Grace nodded with confidence. "Good, now get in there."

/

Up in the stands Penelope and her family watched eagerly as the game progressed. Looking down she saw her daughter getting up from the bench. "Guys, guys! I think they are playing Grace!"

"Looks like it." J.J. snuggled into Will's chest. "It's about damn time too."

Aaron took a swig of his coke. "I was beginning to think he would be benching her all season."

"Mom, can I have a hot dog?"

"Sure Ricky. Just hurry back."

/

Grace took her position on the field and waited for the play to begin. Her heart raced in her chest and the adrenalin pumped through her body. This would be the moment to prove herself and like hell she would let it slip by.

The pack broke and the Quarterback threw the ball in Henderson's direction. The boy rushed to catch it but a player from Central high beat him to it. The boy tucked the ball in his arms and made a dash for the goal line.  
Grace ran after him; she went as fast as her legs would go. She could feel the lactic acid building up and her muscles screaming for air but it did not matter.

She was almost within reach to tackle him. Almost. Just a little bit closer.

Pushing herself a little harder she pounced in the boy; the force of her lunge caused him to fall to the ground and drop the ball. Instantly Grace could feel other bodies pile onto of her.  
The weight of the team would have crushed a more delicate person, but Grace wiggled out of the pile and stood up. Smiling triumphantly at the coach.

"Well done Morgan, but we still need those points!"

/

Prior to getting his hot dog, Ricky decided to stop in the rest room before it became too crowded. It wasn't that he had anything to be ashamed about... he just did not like to urinate in front of other people.  
Stepping up to the urinal he unzipped and started to go. The sound of the urine hitting the porcelain echoed in the empty room.  
He allowed his mind to drift to his date with Mona last night. They had gone to the fall carnival and had won her a large stuffed hippo. She had loved it and spent the whole night hugging into it. Even when they went on the Ferris wheel. He was thankful though that she placed it to the side. That way when they were stopped at the top, Ricky could kiss her.  
Well, it was more like Mona planted one on him but hey, he wasn't keeping score. If he was, Ricky would be sore about losing most of his allowance money on that one stuffed hippo.

When done he zipped himself up, flushed, and went to wash his hands. As the soap was foaming on his mocha coloured hands he heard footsteps. Looking into the mirror he saw a tall man in a black hoodie walking in. Something about him set Ricky's nerved on edge. Quickly he finished washing his hands and went to go dry them.

The man walked up beside Ricky and looked down at the boy. Instantly Ricky knew who the man was.

/

Grace was running to the goal line with the ball tucked under her arm. Her lungs screamed for her to stop but she kept going. Revelling in the feeling of impending triumph.  
In the corner of her left eye she saw a Central player about to tackle her. Dashing to her right she avoided him. Grace sent a silent prayer of thanks to her mom for having her take ballet when she was younger.

Behind her Grace felt the presence of another Central player. She banked left again, then right, throwing him off his course.

Giving herself one final push she made it to the goal line. Panting, she slammed the ball down on the ground and raised her arms up. Only six more points to go and then they would be tied.

Coach Williams beckoned her to his side and she obeyed. But not without throwing him a smug glare. "Told ya I could do well."

"That you did." He patted her on the back. "Good job, but it aint over yet. Get back out there."

/

Penelope cheered wildly for Grace. "That is my girl! Go Gracie!" Looking beside her Penelope realized her son still hadn't returned from his hot dog.  
"Aaron, can you go and check up on Ricky. See what is taking him so long?"

"Sure, but David better not stop recording. I do not want to miss a moment of this." Aaron got up and made his way through the row. He bounded down the stairs and be-lined it to the concession. The boy was probably on the phone with Mona and had lost track of time.

Aaron recalled the many nights he would talk to Haley until daylight broke over the horizon. He couldn't help but crack a small smile at the precious memories he had of Haley. It had been so easy for the two of them to let time slip away.

He looked around at the concession, the tables and chairs, and the other areas around, and saw no sign of the boy. He checked the outside of the stadium and the other areas before walking into the men's room. It was the only area left to check and Aaron prayed that the boy was in here.

As soon as Aaron entered his heart stopped. Ricky's cell phone laid on the floor next to a pool of congealing blood.

/

Grace had the ball again but she knew that getting to the goal line would be impossible. There were too many Central players in her way. But McKinney was close enough and within throwing distance. The QB scored two points a moment ago so all they needed was one more touchdown to win. Just one more...

She drew her arm back and threw the ball with everything she had. The ball flew through the air towards it's target.  
Before she could see what happened someone tackled her to the ground, sending her face into the grass.

Once she felt the weight lifted off her, Grace hauled herself up and checked her face. There was a little bit of blood but nothing to be afraid of. Looking over Grace saw her team coming towards her.

"That was a great pass Morgan!" Coach William patted her hard on the back. "I was right to play you. Brilliant idea I had."

"Thanks Coach. I told ya I could play." Grace took her helmet off and threw a glace at Central high. She couldn't help but laugh at the faces of the boys when they realized she was a girl. "I think those boys over there are a little tongue tied."

Bobby put an arm over Grace's shoulders. "I can see why. They just got owned by us. Thanks to you of course."

"McKinney, it was the team that did it. Not just me."

"Either way Morgan, it was a-" Bobby was interrupted by Grace's mother.

"Grace. Over here. Now."

Bobby gave Grace a sympathetic look. "Man, your Ma looks pissed. I don't know what you did but it must have been bad." He patted her back before joining the rest of the team.

Grace made her way over to the sideline. "What's wrong Mom?"  
The way her mom bit her lip to keep from crying, Grace knew something was wrong. "What Mom? Dammit, tell me!"

"It's your brother, he's missing." Penelope broke down in tears. David pulled her into a hug and tried to comfort her.

"What do you mean?"

Aaron stepped forward. "We think your brother was kidnapped. We can't be certain but that is what it looks like. Now come on Grace. We need to get you and your mother home." He put an arm around her slender shoulders and led her away.

"Team. Until Ricky comes home we touch no other cases. All our efforts will be concentrated on finding Ricky and bringing him back home.  
David, take Penelope and Grace home. When you get there I want you to call me. I will have a goon squad posted outside right away.  
J.J., Spencer, Emily, I want you two to come with me to the office so we can start working on a profile.  
Alex, I want you and Will to process the scene for evidence. I want samples of the blood, any hair, finger prints, and footage off the security cameras.  
Anna, take the remainder of the children to Penelope's. Until this is solved we need to think of every one of our children as targets.  
Now go."

Aaron began walking briskly to his car. On the way he took out his phone and call Strauss so she could round up a technical analyst for the team. Penelope was the best in her field but Aaron knew she would be in no condition to work.  
The second best technical analyst in Quantico would have to do for now.

/

After Alex and Will processed the scene, she came back with the evidence gathered while Will went to Penelope's house to assist her.

She marched into the war room and put the box on the table. "This is everything I could get. The security cameras were hacked and the footage lost but there were some witnesses. And before you ask I did get their statements."

"Good job Blake. Alright. Kidnappings, what do we know?"

"That they serve to either facilitate a fantasy or are an act of revenge." Spencer looked over the testimonies.

"I think we can rule out sexual fantasies. Those usually involve children much younger than... than Ricky." J.J. began tacking up pictures on the board. "And the same goes for fantasies."

Emily looked over the DNA analysis done on the blood. "Then where does this leave us?"

Alex leaned forward and picked at her nails. "It leaves us with a revenge kidnapping."

"Great, that will really narrow the field of UnSubs down." Emily groaned. "There are thousands of people with motives for revenge. UnSubs, families of UnSubs, families of victims we couldn't save in time, families whose cases we didn't work on... Is anyone else pissed?"

"I think we are all very mad right now but I need everyone's heads in this in order to find him." Aaron looked around the table. "We all know that the sooner we find this bastard the better. Now," He shifted his paperwork. "what can we tell from the witness testimonies?"

"That he was a tall man, about 6"5'. Was wearing blue jeans, a black sweater with the hood pulled up. Walked with a bit of a limp..." J.J. sighed. "I really wish the cameras could have picked up something."

"Don't we all." Spencer looked at the board. "Did any of the witnesses manage to identify the UnSubs ethnicity?"

"Caucasian..." Alex froze.

Aaron looked at her with concern. "What is it Blake?"

"I think I know who this UnSub is..."

/

Back at the Morgan/Garcia house Penelope laid down on her bed. In her arms she hugged a stuffed bear that David had gotten Ricky on the day of his birth.  
"Why my boy... why..." She sobbed.

David curled up beside her and drew Penelope into his arms. "It'll be alright Kitten. Just wait and see. You know that our team is the best that there is. We will bring Ricky home, safe and sound." Silently he hoped his promise would ring true. He loved the boy as if Ricky was his own. And David did not know how he would carry on if the boy did not come home.

"Nonno..."

David turned to see Grace standing in the door. "Come on in Gracie. Come help me cuddle your mom." The girl walked in and snuggled between her Nonno and Penelope. She breathed in the comforting scent of both adults.

"Nonno... they will bring him home, right?"

"Of course they will Sweetheart. Ricky will be back home annoying you in no time." He tenderly kissed the back of her head.

"And what if he doesn't?"

"That, my little Bambina, will not happen so do not dwell on it."

"Uncle David..." He turned around to see the rest of the crew in the doorway. "Can we join you..."

"Sure, Kat, you and everyone else come here." David opened his arms and adjusted Grace as everyone piled into Penelope's kingsize bed. "There, now we are all together." He raised his arm so Bridget could snuggle in between him and Grace.

Jane snuggled into Austin's side. "I'm scared..."

He wrapped his arm around the girl, careful not to poke her with the spikes on his cuffs. "I am too. But we will be safe, and Ricky will come home. Right Uncle David?"

"Right."

Penelope turned around and wrapped her arm around Grace and Kat, and smiled at the rest of the group. "We'll be alright."  
Personally, Penelope was not entirely sure but she could not allow herself to dwell on that idea. She had to keep thinking Ricky would come home, and soon.


	37. Taken

_Good morning fellow Criminal Minds fans. As usual, thank you for the reviews, they are a very nice thing to wake up to. Anyways, who is the UnSub, and is he working alone or does he/she have a partner? As usual I do not own Criminal Minds or else the stupid Survivor show (my apologies to those Survivor fans out there) would not have ousted Criminal Minds this week._  
_Enjoy!_

Aaron stormed into Penelope's office. "Lynch, I need you to do whatever you can to track down Andrew Wallace Blake."

Kevin swung around. "Blake's husband?"

"Former husband." Blake entered and glared. "And after this is done, I am going to tear him up."

"Sorry Agent Blake..."

"No need for apologies. Just get to it Lynch. We need to find this bastard." Aaron leaned against the desk. "I want you to find him, or at least give us information we can use."

"He won't be able to."

All three pairs of eyes went to the door.

"Penelope..." Aaron got up and walked over. "You should be home with Grace."

She clenched her jaw and stared hard at Aaron. "I can't. One of my babies is in danger. Damnit, I can not stand by and do nothing when my baby boy needs me. If Jack was in trouble, would you just stand by, or would you do everything in your power to bring him home?"

Aaron sighed. "Alright. You can stay and help out. But I want both you and Lynch to work on this. With the two of you working together this might go faster."

"Ok, but Lynch needs to do exactly what I tell him too and firstly he needs to get out of my chair."

Kevin obeyed the blonde haired woman and transferred himself to the spare seat. "I will do anything that I can to bring your son home safely, I promise Penny."

"It's Garcia and thank you." She sat herself down. "Ok Hotch, Blake, give me the skinny on who we are looking for."

"My husband... my ex-husband." Alex stiffened. "I think he is the one who took Ricky. He had motive and he matches what little of a description that we have of the UnSub."

"Yes, he is indeed our primary suspect but we should not rule out the possibility of someone else." Aaron placed a large file folder down. "I've sent the information to your database but here are the paper files on the case."

"Thanks Hotch. Now leave us so we can work."

"Call me if you need or find anything." He looked back one final time before exiting with Alex. With both Penelope and Kevin working he hoped their chances increased.

"So Penny, I mean Garcia, where do we start?"

Penelope opened the file Aaron sent. "First I need you to find all incoming flights to Quantico and the nearby airports. International and private. See if Andrew is on any of those flights. I will search his financial records and property deeds. He would need a place to hold my son."

"Will do."

/

The bright lights of the room burned Ricky's eyes as he woke. He groaned when he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder. He glanced over and saw a deep incision that was caked with blood. Ricky began to panic... He never liked the sight of blood, and the sight of his blood right now, in his given situation, was not a good sign.

He composed himself enough to look around and get his bearings on where he was. Looking around Ricky saw that he was being held in a sparsely furnished apartment. The only furniture was a couch and some table which were loaded with framed pictures of his mom. Candid shots both recent and old.  
In the corner he saw someone sitting on the windowsill.

"Who are you?"

"Oh Richard, you know very well who I am." Andrew turned around. "I am the man whose life you ruined." He walked over to Ricky. "You know what has happened in the last two weeks? My wife filed for divorce so my chance at the great MacArthur fortune is gone and she is also taking me, _me_, to the cleaners. My girlfriend kicked me out of my house and took my daughter away. And, I lost my job. Thanks to your big mouth I lost everything."

Ricky stared Andrew in the eyes. "So, are you going to kill me?"

"I want to. And I will. But, I need to hold off for a little while. I am gonna have some fun with you though. Has your Uncle Aaron ever told you about his scars?" Ricky shivered when Andrew produced a scalpel.

/

Alex paced the room, glancing at the board. "We have nothing yet. How can we have nothing!"

"Calm down Blake. We need to remain calm." Spencer nervously played with a pen. "Lynch and Penelope will come up with something soon."

As if on cue Penelope burst into the war room. "Ok, we found out that Andrew had a flight into Washington DC and rented a car. From that we have no other transactions but we hacked into footage from traffic lights and found a picture of his rental car in Quantico.  
He is here. But, I can not... I can not find where he is..." Penelope began to break down. "I can find out that he is here, that he is somewhere in this damn city. But, I can not find out where he is.

"Calm down Penelope." Aaron grasped her shoulders. "You do yourself no favours by stressing yourself out."

She looked up into his dark brown eyes. "Aaron, when him and Gracie were young I had tracking devices implanted in their shoulders... Ricky's isn't working... the last signal was outside of the football game..." She began to sob. "I can't find him. I can't find my baby."

"Shh..." Aaron moved his hands from her shoulders and wrapped his arms around her. "We will find him together. Now, take a moment to compose yourself and I want you to go back to work. Hear me?"

She sniffed. "Yes."

"Good, now go."

Penelope turned around and left. Leaving the rest of the room dripping with hope. "Ok, team, let's get back to work."

He opened the new file that Penelope and Kevin had send him and put the information up on the screen.  
"Alright, what does this new information tell us?"

Spencer looked up at the screen. "That the man who took Ricky knew about the chip and has the skills to remove it."

"Like a doctor that is close to the team..." Alex slumped over. "This is all my fault..."

"No Blake." Aaron slammed a hand down in front of her. "It is NOT your fault. Now, we are going to find this kid even if-"

"Dad?"

Aaron turned around to see Jack. He rushed over and hugged his son. "Thank god you're alright."

"I came right over when my plane landed. What is going on?"

"Here, sit." Aaron directed Jack to a spare chair. "Ricky was kidnapped four hours ago. I had you come home because we do not know if this is an isolated incident or if all the BAU children are targets."

Jack clenched his jaw. "What can I do?"

"Go to Aunt Penelope's and stay there. And help Will and Anna look after the younger ones."

/

Grace curled up on her bed. She had wanted some alone time from the group outside her door. In Grace's hands she held a picture of her and Ricky. In her mind she recalled every fight, every bad word between them, and every argument.

It was hard not to let the guilt flow freely through her body. She promised over and over again that if... when, Ricky came home, she would never say a bad word to or about her brother ever again.  
"Come home... please, just come home..."

A knock on her door broke Grace's thoughts. "Coming." She hauled herself off her bed. Grace opened the door and gasped when she saw who it was.

She flung herself into Jack's arms and sighed when she felt his arms wrap around her. He had always been like a big brother to her and seeing him here, made her feel as if everything would be alright in the end.  
"Jack..." She allowed herself to release the tears that had been building up.

"I'm here." He rubbed her back. "Everything is going to be alright Grace." He stepped inside her room and brought Grace with him. Using his foot he closed the door. Jack knew how Grace liked to come across as strong, and how it would hurt her to have people see her cry. "Shh..."

He led her to the bed and sat her down. "Just let it all out."

It broke Jack's heart to see a young woman he knew to be so strong of a person, breaking down in his arms. He knew his dad would bring Ricky home. His dad was the best, the hero that trumped all the comic book or movie superheros. But seeing Grace like this, made him doubt the outcome a little, just a little.

He let Grace cry in his arms until her eyes were dry. She pulled away and dried her eyes with her sleeve. "I miss him... we have been together our entire lives Jack. I can't even being to imagine not having him down the hall from me..." She played with the ring that hung on a chain around her neck. "I just want my brother home."

"I know Gracie, I know. And he will be coming home."

/

Andrew wiped the blood off the scalpel and smiled. "Too bad you aren't getting out of here alive kid. The chicks would really dig those scars."

"When they find you, and they will, you will be a dead man." Ricky groaned. "They will get you."

"Oh no they won't." Andrew laughed as he leaned against the wall. "Not before you die." His phone rang. "Sorry kiddo, but I have to get this."

"Big Daddy here."

"_How is the torture coming along?"_

"Good, I think that little bastard is about to meet his end though."

"_No, you can not kill him. Not yet."_

"Why? What the hell are you waiting for Cybertron?"

"_For the right moment. And if you kill him before I give you the ok to do so, I will make sure you are the one this will be pinned on. And believe me, Penelope is not a woman you want to see angry."_

"Ok Cybertron, and by the way that is a stupid name."

"_And Big Daddy isn't a ridiculous name?"_

"Point taken. Anyways, just keep in mind the longer you prevent me from killing this freak, the more pain I will put him through."

"_You say that like it is a bad thing. Cut away my friend."_

And with that the mysterious man hung up. Leaving Andrew to focus his attention once again on Ricky.

/

In the office Kevin was still searching for a link.

"Do you have anything?" Penelope asked.

"No Garcia. Nothing. No, wait."

Penelope flung herself over to his side of the room. "What? What do you have?"

"About half an hour ago someone registered a noise complaint at an apartment building on Purvis Dr... more accurately at your old apartment. They reported hearing..." Kevin swallowed hard. "screams. The local police answered and recorded a false claim..."

She wrote down the address. "I'm giving this to the team." She ran out and towards the war room where Spencer, Emily and Alex were still going over evidence.

"Kevin found an address. Here it is, it is my old apartment."

Alex took the paper and entered it into her phone. "And what makes him thing this might be the place?"

"There was a disturbance reported about half an hour ago where the person next door heard screams. We need to go and at least check it out."

"I'll call Hotch and J.J." Spencer pulled together his files and shoved them into his messenger bag. "We'll call you if we find anything." The team began to walk out but were stopped by Penelope.

"I'm coming."

"No Garcia, it might be too dangerous." Emily tried to move Penelope aside. "Let us go. Like Reid said we will call you."

Penelope stared down the people in front of her. "No, it is MY son in trouble. I am going to come. Now, you can either let me go willingly or you can drag me out of the SUV."

Alex sighed. "Let her come. If Ricky is there, it might do him good to see his mother."

"Alright Garcia." Spencer looked hard at Penelope. "You can come but you MUST do as we say. If you do not I will have you removed from the scene."

/

Andrew had just finished carving a new scar into Ricky's arm when his phone rang again. "Hmm... I wonder who that is." He smiled as he answered the call.

"Big Daddy."

"_It is time. Do it."_

"Will do." He hung up and turned to Ricky. An evil grin spread across his face. "Now the real fun begins. Tell me Ricky, how would you like to die? Would you like to bleed to death? How about electrocution? Poison? Or how about a good old bullet to the head?  
Come on kid, I am letting you pick your end. You should thank me."

Ricky spat on the purple rug. "Thank you? You are a sick bastard. I will not give you the satisfaction."

"So... what you are saying is that you want me to chose. Let's see... if I want to exact the most pain, draining the blood from your body would be the best bet. But, if I want quick, I would chose the bullet. Oh my, what a choice." He walked over to the table and took a large, scarp, obsidian blade from the table.  
"I think I will chose the blood letting."

Andrew stalked over to the chair and ran the flat edge of the blade along Ricky's cheek. "Get ready to meet your Daddy. Say hi to him for me. Please? And you can tell him that your sister will be joining the both of you when this is over."

Ricky growled at the mention of Grace. "If you lay one hand on her I will kill you." He struggled against the restrains on his wrists. "I will KILL YOU!"

"Hahaha, Ricky, you have no choice in the matter."

/

Penelope ran up the stairs ahead of her team. They had tried to get her to stay outside but with no success. She raced towards the door and banged against it. "FBI, open up. Open up Andrew!"

She could hear a struggle and her son screaming in pain. Penelope stepped back and with all her strength kicked the door. Her foot sent the door flying open.  
"Andrew, put down the knife."

"And why should I? You can not shoot me. You never carry a gun. You can not do anything to me." He burst out laughing and drew the knife back for the final assault on Ricky.

Penelope could hear her team behind her but she knew they would not get here in time. Without thinking she flung herself at Andrew and knocked him down. "You bastard." She drew back her fist and landed a blow on Andrew's cheek.  
"How dare you blame my son for your mistakes." She readied herself to hit him again but was flung onto her back.

"Oh Penny. I was gonna kill him but killing you would be soo much better. Then your son can live with the fact that his actions led to your death. And my boss will like it." Andrew brought the knife down and plunged it into her torso.  
He smiled when she yelped in pain. "Do you like that you bitch? Huh? How about another one." Andrew drew back his bloodied knife and prepared for another assault.  
Penelope closed her eyes and braced for the blow. But it never came. Instead a gunshot rang through the room and she felt a weight drop on top of her. Her gut wretched at the feeling of warm blood flowing across her face.

The next moment Aaron was lifting the new corpse off of her. "Penelope! J.J., give me your jacket to stop the bleeding and call for two ambulances. Penelope, can you hear me?"

She groaned. "Yes Aaron. Go check on Ricky. Make sure he is ok."

"Reid is taking care of Ricky." Aaron used the cuff of his sleeve to wipe away as much blood as possible. "He's alive and he will be fine." He shot a look to Spencer to stay quiet. "But Penelope, you need to hold on for him. Ok? You need to stay with me."

"I'll try..."


	38. Taken 2

_Thank you for the reviews. After days like this they are a great thing to come home too. And I am sorry for the cliffhangers... but they are fun, right? Ok, ok. Me and my crazy brain will shut up and let you read.  
As usual I do not own Criminal Minds, though I do want to._

_/_

_Ricky sat on the bed and looked around the room he was in. On the walls hung pictures of scantly clad women and Blackhawks posters. Beside a wall a bookshelf stood with few books. In the corner was a weight set._

_He knew where he was... but it was impossible. The last thing he remembered was being in Quantico. With his mom tackling Andrew...  
As the memory flooded back Ricky began to shake with fear._

"_Shh... don't be afraid buddy. It will be alright."_

_He turned to the spot beside him and saw someone sitting there; shocked, he jumped off the bed, falling onto the floor.. He then crawled into a corner and stared the person down. "Who... who are you?"_

_A deep chuckle came from the man. "Richard Derek Morgan. You can't tell me that you do not recognize me from all those pictures Mom has in your home."_

"_You look like him. But you can't be... you're... you're..."_

"_Dead?" The figure got off the bed and walked over to Ricky. "Hate to break it to you son, but you are not exactly in the land of the living." He sat down beside his son._

"_Where am I then?" Ricky kept a cautious eye on what appeared to be his father._

"_You are between the land of the living and the land of the dead." Derek made a move to touch Ricky but shrank back when he saw the boy was too nervous. "You lost a lot of blood, you also have internal damage." Ricky could see a rage filling the man's black eyes.  
"It felt so very horrible to feel your pain and being able to do nothing." He rubbed his bald head. "You're mom is also hurt. It feels awful... I can't help her either."_

"_Mom... will she be alright?"_

_Derek looked at his son. "She will be. It is her choice but she has you and Gracie to fight for. She won't give up, I know she won't. You're mom is a fighter."_

"_Will... will I make it... Dad?"_

"_It is your choice." Derek shrugged. "You are the one that will chose if you go back to your mom and sister, or if you stay with me. The path home will not be easy though. Son, there will be a lot of pain and a lot of work to get back to were you need to be. But your mom needs you, and your sister needs her brother."_

"_I want to... I don't know what I want..."_

"_Alright, well, you have a bit of time to decide." Derek stood up and looked down at Ricky. "Come here boy and let me look at you."_

_Nervously, Ricky got up and stood near his dad._

_Derek examined his son from head to toe; taking advantage of being able to clearly see his son for the_ _first time. "Hmm... you sure look like me. But you have a nice head of hear." He ran his hand over Ricky's hair, basking in the warmth that radiated from his boy. "You're not as buff though. Weights are not your thing?"_

"_No... I prefer books and science. Grace is the one who does the work outs." Already Ricky could feel himself relaxing._

_Derek ran a finger over Ricky's forehead. The boy shivered at the touch. "What is this?"_

_Ricky's hand went to where his father's was. "That. Oh I fell off a jungle gym when I was little. I got a broken arm and this scar, but I was alright."_

"_I am sorry I wasn't there to protect you." He let his finger linger on the scar. "And I am so very sorry I was not there to protect you from Andrew."_

"_Please Dad. Don't be sorry. It is my fault... I should have been more careful, more cautious." Ricky began to cry. "I don't want to die. I don't want to leave Mom and Gracie."_

"_Then don't." Derek wrapped Ricky up in his arms. "Go home and look after Mom and Gracie for me." He held Ricky in his arms for a few moments, inhaling his scent and memorizing the boy's frail body. "Go... you have three wonderful women waiting for you." He wanted to beg him to stay, as he wanted to beg Penelope to stay with him all those years ago. But Derek knew Ricky had an amazing future ahead of him and that, in time, he would join Derek permanently. _

"_Mom... Gracie... and Mona?" Ricky looked up at his dad, confused._

"_Mona, nah. Do yourself a favour and let her go."_

_Ricky gasped. "But... but I really like her, and she likes me."_

"_She may like you now son, but she is the type of person that doesn't like to stay with one person for too long. And before she lets you go, she will get you into a world of trouble and a world of hurt." Derek couldn't help but laugh. "I was just like her until I met Mom. When I first saw your mom I knew my wandering days were numbered.."_

"_Couldn't Mona be like that now?"_

_Derek shook his head. "No. She is a long way from that. Besides, you have a girl who is in love with you and dying for you to notice her."_

"_Who?" Ricky's mind raced, running through all the girls he knew_

"_Someone close to you. You," Derek ruffled Ricky's curly hair. "need to figure the rest out on your own." He gave Ricky one final hug before letting go. "Know that I am proud of both you and Gracie. And that I love you, Grace, and Mom with all my heart. Never forget that. Now go, and be safe. And remember, this battle is not over yet."_

"_I will Dad." Ricky hugged his father. "And Dad, I love you too." He looked at Derek one final time before turning around and walking out the bedroom door._

/

"There you are kid." Ricky opened his eyes to see a person wearing a surgical mask hovering over him. "You are going to be just fine now."

Ricky took in a breath and was shocked at how much this simple act hurt. "My.. M... Mom?"

"She'll be alright too. We're putting you in a room together so you will be with her soon."

Knowing that his mom was safe, Ricky allowed the grogginess to overtake him and closed his eyes.

/

Penelope tried to sit up when she saw her son being wheeled in on a bed, but the stitches in her abdomen prevented her from doing so.

"Is he going to be alright?"

"Yes Ms. Garcia. Physically he will recover just fine, but he will require a lot of time to heal mentally." The nurse put the chart at the end of Ricky's bed.

"What happened to him?"

She gave Penelope a sympathetic look. "Are you sure you want to know Ms. Garcia?"

"I'm his Mom. I have to know what that sick bastard did to my boy."

"Ok." The other woman sighed and sat down beside Penelope, and took her hand. "The man inflicted deep wounds on your son's arms, legs, chest, and face. The last one nicked an artery causing your son to almost bleed out. If it wasn't for Dr. Reid's quick thinking... Ricky might very well be in the morgue right now.  
As I said, physically he will recover, though the scars both mentally and physically will stay with him for the remainder of his life. And when he is discharged I suggest you have him talk to a professional so he can sort out his feelings and emotions."

"I should have done a better job at protecting him..." Penelope began to sob. "I failed him..."

"Shhh." The nurse rubbed Penelope's arm. "No, you did not fail him. From what your boss said, you saved him. You saved your son."

"...Momma?"

If Penelope was not held to her bed by IV's and tubes she would have bolted to her son's side. "I'm here Ricky. I am right in the bed beside you." Penelope looked at the nurse. "Is there anyway that our beds could be closer? I need to be close to my boy."

"I can push them a bit closer but there needs to be enough room for the nursing staff to work around him."

She looked over at her son who seemed to be miles away. "Anything would be better."

"Alright then, just give me a moment." She got up and went to find some assistance. After a little while the nurse returned with an orderly and they pushed the beds within arms length of each other.

"Better?"

"Much. Thank you Miss." Penelope reached out her arm and grasped her son's hand. Instantly the memory of her holding him for the first time flashed in front of her.

"No problem Ms. Garcia. Call me if you or your son need anything." She got up and left the mother and son alone.

"Momma..." Ricky's grip on his mom's hand tightened. "I was scared..."

"So was I Sug, I was soo scared that I would not get the chance to hold you again." Penelope plastered a smile on her face. "But you are here and you will be right as rain in time." She squeezed his hand. "I love you, you silly boy."

"I love you too Momma." Ricky looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "Momma, this is going to sound crazy but... I saw Dad. I mean when I was out. I saw him and I... talked to him."

"Hun, between you and me that is not crazy." Penelope blinked away the tears that were forming. "When you and your sister were borne... I almost died..."

"I know..."

"Hey, let me finish motor mouth. Anyways, when I was under I saw Dad too. Let me guess, he said coming back here was your own choice?"

"Yes."

Penelope's face softened and her smile became genuine. "And even though he said it was your choice he kind of pushed you to come back to me?"

Ricky closed his eyes and grinned. "Yes. He also told me that he loves you Mom." He opened his eyes and looked at Penelope. "Do you still love him, Mom?"

"With all my heart." Penelope stroked the palm of his hand with her thumb. "And I always will. Now brace yourself Sweetie. The welcome wagon is coming."

Before the boy knew what was happening the room filled up with his family. Both his mother's and his father's.

"Oh Richard, I was soo scared that we would lose you." Fran rushed over and covered Ricky's face with kisses. "I'm so glad you are alright."

He squirmed. "Grandma, stop it. Please."

"Oh alright." Instead she placed a tender hand on the side of his face that lacked stitches. "Seriously, Richard, I am so very glad you are here. Alive."

"Ah Grandma, you know I need to finish greying your hair." Ricky smiled. "You know I couldn't leave you until I was done."

"Even when you are done giving me grey hair," Fran's face took on a serious look. "you are not allowed to leave me, or your mom. Ever."

"Yes Grandmother."

"...Ricky."  
His sister reached out and touched his good cheek. "You're alive."

He placed a hand on top of Grace's. "That I am Sis, so don't expect to get my baseball cards yet."

"Oh come on Ricky," Grace chuckled. "you don't even like them. But, since you almost died I guess I could stop asking you for them... for a little while at least." Her smile faded. "But Ricky... I am glad that you are alright. When you went missing... my heart shattered. I missed you soo much... it wasn't the same at home without you in the room beside mine..."

He squeezed his hand. "Gracie, Gracie, Gracie. What are you going to do when we move out and get married?"

Grace sniffed and cracked a smile. "Buy houses right next to each other?"

"Maybe, we will see."

While everyone else crowded around Ricky, Aaron took a moment to talk to Penelope. He took the seat next to the bed and held her hand. "Penelope. We really need to stop doing this. We've been here what, a dozen times in the past decade?"

"Twenty eight times in the past ten years." Penelope smirked. "Not that I am counting or anything."

"So... how are you feeling?"

She looked over at her son. "Better now that I know he is alright."

Aaron gave Penelope a stern look. "You are aware that what you did was foolish and dangerous. It might have gotten both of you killed."

"I know, but it is what I had to do." A tear ran down her cheek. "He was going to kill my baby. I couldn't let him do that. I just couldn't. Aaron, I needed to do something."

He wiped the tear off her face. "I understand. I would have done the same for Jack. But, what if we lost you? What if we lost both of you?"

More tears streamed down her face and her words began getting caught in her throat. "Well, Aaron. If he killed my son... you would have lost me. So either way I would be gone."

"What was the extent of your injuries?"

"I thought they would have told you."

Aaron shook his head and frowned. "The doctor did not make us privy to the full extent."

"A quarter of my spleen was too damage to save so they had to cut it out. And my stomach was punctured by the knife But other than that, I am unscathed. Lucky me." Penelope grinned. "I am starting to look like you with all these scars." The smile faded.  
"Speaking of scars... I'm going to have to get Ricky to talk to a therapist. Do you know if the one that worked with the team after Derek's death is still with the FBI?"

"I... I will look into that. And I will take care of it." He brushed away her hair. "All you need to do is concentrate on getting better. Until you are healed we can get by with Lynch."

She cringed at the name. "Ugh. I don't want to think about him right now."

"You are aware that it was him that found the address?"

Penelope groaned. "I know that! But I could have found it. I owe him nothing."

"Well, then it is a good thing he isn't here because he thinks he saved both of your lives." Aaron scoffed. "He wanted to come..."

"He wanted to visit me?"

"Yes. But I said it would be best if he stayed back and finished wrapping up the case."

"Oh, the case!" Penelope suddenly remembered something. Her hand latched tightly onto his arm. "Aaron, before Andrew stabbed me... he said something about his boss. I think he was working with someone, or at least had a partner."

Aaron turned to the boy. "Ricky, did Andrew say anything about a partner?"

Ricky broke his gaze from Kat's eyes. "He called someone a couple times... someone called... Cybertron I think. I can't be sure of the name." He winced as pain shot through his body. "It seems like a blur."

"We have Andrew's cell phone." He nodded to Emily. "Can you go and see if you can get a trace on the number?"

"Sure." Emily walked over and kissed Penelope's forehead. "I'll be right back as soon as Lynch finds something." She turned to leave.

"No Em." Penelope's hand shot out and stopped her friend. "Bring the cell phone here, along with my work laptop. I can do a trace here and I will be soo much faster than Lynch. I could hack circles around that boy."

"Do you think it is wise to work while in your... condition?"

Penelope turned her eyes onto David. "I have done more in worse shape than this. Tracing the number will be easy." She glared. "I will find this son of a bitch who had a hand in this. And I will make him pay for everything."

David shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "I'm beaten, yet again." He watched as Ricky's eyelids began to fall and Penelope yawned. "Alright folks, I think it is time for us to leave." He came over to Penelope and leaned down. "Call me if you need anything. I will be in the waiting room."

She smiled at his offer. "I will. For now though I want to talk to Grace."

"No problem." David stood up. "Ok, everyone out except for Grace."

"Come here Sweetie." Penelope beckoned to her daughter. "I want to give you a hug..."

Grace obeyed her mother without question. An action which told Penelope that Grace was not taking this well. Once her daughter was within arms reach Penelope enveloped the girl. "My Baby Girl... sometimes you are too strong for your own good."

She buried her head in her mother's chest. "Someone has to be..." She struggled to keep the tears at bay as she smelled Penelope's flowery scent.

"Let it out Sweetie. Let it all out." Penelope stroked Grace's hair as she felt her daughter break down. "I won't tell anyone. This is between you, me, and your brother." She turned to Ricky. "You won't tell anyone, will you Baby Boy?"

"No..." His own hot tears were streaming down. "I won't tell a soul..."

"Momma..." Grace sobbed. "I thought I would lose the both of you... I... I couldn't stand losing you... Or... or Ricky."

Penelope rubbed Grace's back. "Don't worry... it will be a long time until I leave you. And you'll be with your brother for the rest of your life. So don't worry. Momma's here."


	39. New Light

_New day, new chapter. Thanks for the reviews. As always I LOVE reading them.  
And now for the legal bit: I do not own Criminal Minds.  
_

She locked the evidence locker and signed the sheet stating she took a cell phone. "You, my dear, are going to help us find the Son of a Bitch who helped hurt PG and my nephew." She looked down at the device. "And when we know who it is... I hope they lock him up before I get to him."

"Hey, what are you doing here soo late?"

Emily turned around and sighed with relief when she saw Kevin. "Oh, you scared me."

He leaned against the wall and shrugged. "My bad Prentiss. So, what brings you down into the dungeon this late?"

"I'm getting the cell phone we retrieved from Garcia's old apartment. She is going to run a trace on it to find out if we can find who Andrew's partner was." She slipped the phone into her pocket and made her way to the door. "I can't wait to find out who is he."

"Why don't you let me run the check? In the condition she is in, Garcia really shouldn't be straining herself" He made a move towards Emily. "Here, hand it to me."

"Sorry Lynch, Garcia would kill me if I didn't let her run the number. She insisted. And besides, I've seen her do more when she has been in worse shape." Emily turned around. "I really have to go. I'll say 'hi' to Garcia for you."

Kevin clenched his fists. "Thank you. But I'll be in later tomorrow to see her myself." He walked behind Emily as she made her way towards the elevator. "Did she say anything about me? Like, you know, how I saved her life?"

Emily sighed and stopped. "Lynch. You helped save her life. But it was Reid who put the bullet in Andrew's head."

"But it was me who gave you guys an address to go on. So I did save her life."

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe. Listen, Lynch, I really need to get this phone to Garcia." Emily turned around and went into the open doors of the elevator.

To her dismay Kevin followed her. "I still think you should let me do that search. Pen- I mean Garcia really should be with her children and resting. Not working." He pursed his lips. "It is just like Hotchner to make her work when she is injured. Just like him not to give her a day off."

"He didn't force her. Garcia volunteered and insisted." Emily cracked a small smile. "You know no one can say no to Garcia."

"Yeah," Kevin rocked back on his feet. "she is pretty irresistible, isn't she?" He kept eying the pocket in which Emily had stashed the phone. "So, is everyone going back to their homes now? I know the lot of you stashed your kids at Garcia's?"

"No, we are all staying at Rossi's tonight. With Andrew's partner still out there Hotch felt it would be best if everyone stayed together." She smiled. "You know, Garcia once told me that Andrea said the team was like a pack of lions. I can kind of see why she would think that. Right now we are pulling all our cubs together."

Kevin pursed his lips and began making a move to get the phone. He had been a pick pocket before becoming a hacker and had been smart enough not to let his unique skill become rusty.  
But his move was stopped by Emily's own phone ringing.

"Sorry Lynch. I have to take this." She picked up her personal phone. "Hi Hotch, I'm on my way. What do you need?"

He made another move to get the phone but was blocked when Emily leaned against the wall of the elevator. He wanted, no he needed, to get that phone from her. But he couldn't do it while she had the pocket the phone was in out of his reach.  
Kevin waited until the doors opened and discreetly followed Emily out of the building and into the parking lot. Keeping a few odds between them.

Finally, Emily put her phone down and focused her attention on getting her keys out. He seized the moment and pinned her up against a car. "I want that phone."

Without much effort Emily overpowered Kevin and pushed him up against the wall. "And why is that Lynch? Why would you assault an agent just for a phone." She flinched when she felt the barrel of a gun in her side.

"Because," Kevin smiled wickedly. "I want to be the one Penny loves. I want her to love ME! I found her the address that saved Ricky and what does she do, she doesn't even acknowledge that I helped her." He jammed the gun hard into her side. "I spent years competing with Morgan, only to lose. And when I orchestrated his death, she still loved him above me!"

Emily gasped in shock. "It was you? But... but how?"

"Cooper and Smith knew that you had them cornered, that they were both going to go down in a hail of bullets. It wasn't hard to convince them that, if they played their cards right, they would get the chance to take down on of the BAU's best and strongest agents." Kevin laughed. "I would have given anything to see the look on Morgan's face when they took him down. He must have been shocked to have been bested by those two... weaklings." He maneuvered himself so Emily was the one pinned against the wall. The entire time he kept his gun fixed on her side.

"You sick bastard." Emily growled. "I bet you were Andrew's partner."

Kevin licked his lips. "Of course I was. What would be a better way to get Penny to fall in love with my than to save her son. I knew Andrew wanted to kill him, but I also knew that he would not get the chance to. Why? He was rash and talkative. Once I gave him the order you had enough time to get there before he finished his monologue. And was I right? Of course I was right."

He pushed her closer against the wall, smiling when Emily cried out in pain. "You know, it is a shame Prentiss. A shame that Andrea will have to live the rest of her life without her mom."

"The security cameras will record this. And my team will nail you to the wall for killing me, for taking part in the kidnapping, and for murdering Derek."

"I've remotely disabled the cameras. For the next ten minutes there is no footage of this area. I will just say I came upon your dead body. I tried to revive you, but couldn't." He leaned in. "You are mine, bitch." Kevin whispered in her ear.

Emily gathered all her strength. "You wish Lynch." In one swift move she knocked the gun out of Kevin's hand and pressed her own against his head. "You are lucky that I want to see you convicted, sentenced, and executed." She took out her handcuffs and restrained Kevin. "But, it is taking all my effort," Emily roughly pushed him up against the wall. "to not kill you myself. But, I want to see you end up as someone's bitch in prison."

"Me?" Kevin struggled against the restraints. "I will be the one praying on others. I'll be no one's bitch."

"Yeah right. Keep telling yourself." She roughly walked him to her SUV and shoved him in. Once Kevin was locked inside she called Aaron.

/

Aaron's face grew pale as he hung up the phone.

"What's wrong?" David looked over with concern.

"I..." Aaron gulped and clenched his fist. "I need to go to the police department for a bit to question someone in relation to Andrew."

David rubbed his beard. "Is that all? I thought you would be more... excited to close this case?"

"I am, but according to Emily this opens up another case. An old case..."

"How old?"

Aaron looked at David. "Derek's death."

"What... how?" The older man could feel the blood draining from his face.

"Emily says Lynch confessed to having a hand in Derek's murder." Aaron lifted himself up. "If anyone asks I needed to go and finish some urgent paperwork. There is no need to have everyone else on edge right now. Not until there is something concrete. And under NO circumstances does Penelope know what is going on aside from needing the trace on the cell phone."

"Gotcha. Just let me know what is going on as soon as you know Aaron."

"Of course. And when I get to the station I will send Anderson over with the cell phone and Penelope's equipment. Make her run the trace as soon as possible."

/

Aaron stood beside Emily watching Kevin. "What exactly did he say when he confessed?"

"That he was the one to convince Smith and Cooper to murder Derek. And that he was the mastermind behind Ricky's kidnapping." Emily slammed her fist into the wall beside the mirror. "I want to kill him. Aaron, I want to strangle him."

"So do I." He crossed his arms. "How could we have not seen that connection... it must have been so obvious. I should have seen something."

"We were grieving over the death of a friend and coming to terms with Garcia's pregnancy." she placed a gentle hand on Aaron's shoulder. "We were blinded by pain and happiness. None of us will blame you, or anyone else, for missing it." Emily glared through the glass. "Now, I think we have given this bastard long enough to sweat."

"You're right. Let's go in." Aaron pushed the door open and stepped into the cold room. "Lynch." He threw a file down on the table and glared. "What is this I hear about you being connected to the death of one of MY agents?"

Kevin leaned back as far as the cuffs holding him to the table would let him. "Whatever she said, she lied. I am innocent Agent Hotchner. I did nothing to warrant this treatment."

"Really," Emily leaned down and got herself right in Kevin's face. "you are calling me a lair?"

He met her gaze with a smile. "I am saying that you are not trustworthy. You lied about dying, so what else have you lied about? Did you tell your daughter where she came from? Did you tell your team mates, your 'family', the truth about you running off to Europe? Point being," He looked at Aaron. "is that no one should trust Agent Prentiss, ever."

"You bastard!" Emily drew her hand back to slap him but was stopped when Aaron grabbed her wrist.

"You are wrong," Kevin chuckled. "I was legally borne in wedlock. You on the other hand were borne a true bastard, Prentiss. Truth is I did not kill Derek and I had no hand in Andrew's moronic plot."

"Then why did you want that cell phone so badly, Lynch?" Aaron leaned against the table. "Was it so you could pretend to trace the call? Let me guess, you would have found nothing despite being the second best technical analyst in the FBI?"

"I wanted it, Agent," Kevin spat out the last word. "because Penny shouldn't be working right now. Her condition requires her to rest. But, then again, you don't care. You would work her to death if you had to. I mean, come on, when she was due to take maternity leave did she? Or did she still work like a dog for you?"

Aaron clenched his fists and growled. "I gave her the choice. In fact I almost forced her to take maternity leave. But, as you know Lynch, you can not force Penelope Garcia to do anything."

Kevin opened his mouth in a retort but was stopped when the door opened. A Quantico PD officer poked her head in. "Agent Hotchner, I have a Penelope Garcia on the phone for you."

"Well Agent Prentiss, lets go see what Garcia found for us." He threw a grin in Kevin's face. "We'll be right back. So don't go anywhere."

/

Aaron eagerly picked the phone up. "Penelope. What do you have for us?"

"_Well, Tall, Dark, and Broody, I have something interesting. The number that Andrew called the most, including the last call he made, was to the BAU."_

"Where you able to find the extension?

"_Of course I could. It was easy as cake. For some reason the extension is Lynch's. The number Andrew called the second most was his cell phone. Does that make any sense to you?"_

He glanced over to the one sided mirror and at the figure inside. "Yes it does. Thanks Penelope; you are amazing."

"_Oh, you are just saying that because it is true. And here is something that makes me even more awesome, I think you would like to know that a month ago the FBI started recording the conversations held on company phones. No one below the Strauss' rank was made aware of that. I just kinda found out one day when I was eavesdropping on her and Director Mortimer."_

"Get to the point Penelope." Aaron bit his cheek. If they could get a recording of Lynch talking to Andrew then they could nail him for the kidnapping and could use the evidence to draw out more confessions.

"_I can get a recording of the conversations Kevin had with Andrew over the work phones. But with his personal cell phone I can only pull up voice and text messages. Which I am doing right now."_

"Good, send me the information as soon as you get it. And Penelope," He heard her groan on the other end. "get the nurses to give you some more painkillers, the last dose you had must be wearing off."

"_After I am done I will. But right now I need a clear head. Tech Kitten over and out."_

Aaron hung up the phone and breathed in deeply. Trying to get his emotions in check.

"So, did Penelope find a link?"

"Yes, she did. Lynch made and received a number of calls from Andrew on the office phones. Penelope is pulling up the voice recordings and seeing if she can find anything substantial on them. She is also pulling voice and text messages from Lynch's personal cell phone."

Emily looked at Kevin. "Would he be careless enough to say something incriminating? He isn't the smartest person around but he is certainly not the dumbest."

"According to Penelope the FBI only recently started recording conversations on work phones. Lynch might not be aware that his conversations would be on file. And even if he was, he would be arrogant enough to think we wouldn't catch him."

She crossed her arms. "If it were Penelope, we couldn't catch her. But him, he's catchable. We can play on that arrogance."

"Yes. A soon as we get a message from Penelope we go in."

/

Penelope almost dropped her laptop when she heard the recording. Kevin was plotting with Andrew. He ordered Ricky's death. He ordered the death of her boy. She looked over to her son who was fast asleep and cringed at the thought.  
In her gut she felt a rage build up. Once these wires and IV's were out of her arm she was going to kill Lynch with her own hands. She would make him feel pain.  
But for now, she could use this information to help Aaron and Emily nail him.

/

"I got the information. Let's go." Aaron barged into the room and put his phone down on the table, just out of arms reach of Kevin.  
"Were you aware that the FBI recently started recording conversations on work phones?"  
Aaron almost smiled as the blood drained from Kevin's face.

"You didn't, did you." He played a recording and leaned back. "Now, what did you mean by 'It's time. Do it.'? Judging by the previous recording you gave the green light for Andrew to kill Richard Morgan. An innocent child."

Emily walked slowly behind Kevin to the left side of the table, letting the sound of her boots echo in the small room. "You played with his life. Counting on the BAU to arrive in time to save him. How did you know he wouldn't kill Richard right away? Was it because you knew that he was arrogant, like yourself. That he would take his time instead of going right for the kill."

Kevin scoffed. "Andrew wasn't anything like me. He was easy to manipulate. Easy to play a fool. His anger blinded him."

Aaron slammed his hands down on the table. "So you admit you used him to get your revenge on Penelope Garcia?!"

"No!" Kevin struggled against the restraints. "I used him to make me the hero. I knew if I was the one who found her precious son I would be her hero. Or at least I thought I would be." He hissed. "But she is a selfish, ungrateful, whore."

"Don't you dare say that about Garcia!" Emily spat. "You risked the life of a child in order to make yourself look better. You are the selfish one! Hell, you even killed a good man because you couldn't stand the thought of anyone else beside you loving her."

"He would have NEVER loved HER the way I would, the WAY I would!" Kevin broke the restraints. "You are all alike. You think you know best and that you know what is best for HER!" He lunged at Emily. "But I am the ONLY one that knows what is good for her. The ONLY one!"

Aaron grabbed Kevin's collar and shoved him against the wall. "You could never have competed fairly against Derek Morgan so you killed him to remove the competition, right? RIGHT?"

"Right. And even after death he out competed me! You know how that feels _Agent_ Hotchner? He was gone but she focused herself only on HIS children."

Aaron released him from the wall and shoved Kevin back into the chair. "And it angered you, didn't it? To know that you risked everything to remove Agent Morgan and yet you still placed second to him. It made you angry, angry enough to spend over sixteen years plotting."

"I didn't spend that long plotting." Kevin laughed. "I tried to move on. Married Gina Sharp, had a child. But eventually she realized I would never, ever, love her as much as I loved Penny. So guess what? She left me and took my son."

"So you admit it, you confess in helping murder Agent Derek Morgan." Emily scratched her nails on the table. "You killed him to get him out of the way."

"Yes! I killed him! You want a confession? I contacted Cooper and Smith and planned the whole thing. They knew they were going down. And offering them the chance to take down the agent that had been a thorn in my side for soo long... it was a chance that was too good to pass up."

Emily grabbed Aaron's fist before it connected with Kevin's face. "He isn't worth it Hotch. We have enough to convict and fry him. He is not worth your job."

He glared at Kevin. "Lynch. You are damn lucky that Agent Prentiss is here-"

"Or what, you'll murder me like you murdered Foyet?" Kevin smirked. "I wonder if Strauss would clear your name a second time."

"He killed my wife." Aaron growled. "And he would have killed my son."

"Murder is murder _Agent_."

Aaron glared at Kevin before storming out of the room. Emily glared at Kevin. "When they strap you to the chair I will be there to watch you die. You sick bastard!" She spat on the floor next to Kevin before following her boss.


	40. Party

_Thank you all for the reviews and for sticking with this story. I was unsure how the twist would go over. And here is the next chapter. And as usual I do not own Criminal Minds._ :)

Penelope reached forward and sighed her discharge papers; she had been here two weeks, a week and two days longer than Ricky, and was very anxious to get out and go 'home'.  
"Alright Kitten, you are a free woman." David wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Now, I have your old bedroom done up for you and there is the old baby monitor beside your bed. If you need anything, all you need to do is ask."

"I can walk David," She chuckled with amusement. "if I need something I can get it myself." Penelope leaned left and kissed his cheek. "But thanks for looking out for me. How are Ricky and Grace enjoying the stay at your place?"

"Oh, they are loving it. All their clothes are there, Angel is alternating nights beside their beds, and all their toys and video games are at my place. So, it is like they are home." He grinned. "I can't tell you how nice it feels to have them in the house again. They really liven up the place. Though," The smile faulted. "I wish it was under different circumstances."

"As do I." She balked at the front door of the hospital. "You are sure Kevin will not be getting out on bail?" Her grip on David's arm tightened.

"I am sure. The judge hasn't posted bail and will will not." He patted her back. "I have her word that the only time Lynch will be out of jail is for the trial in a month. You and the kids will be safe."

"David, it feels as if Derek was murdered all over again. Those emotions and feelings... have all come back." Penelope released herself from David's arm and got into his car and waited to continue until David had seated himself in the driver's seat. "I miss him... and it is hard when it feels as if my heart is breaking all over again."

"I know Kitten." He put the car in drive. "Say, why don't we make a stop on the way home? I have an idea of what would make you feel better."

Penelope leaned her head against the window and looked at the falling autumn leaves. "Ok. Anything you want."

/

David parked the car under an oak tree. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Penelope opened the door. "let's go and see him."

"Wait Kitten, let me help you up." David rushed out of his door and made his way to Penelope's. "You really shouldn't be exerting yourself."

"David, I can get out of a car by myself. I'm not an invalid." She snapped at him. Using her own hand she tried to ignore the pain and to get herself out. Penelope stopped when she saw the hurt look on David's face. "I'm sorry Sug. I didn't mean it." She held out her hand and allowed David to help her out. "I'm just tired of everyone fawning over me."

"I know. But there is no shame in admitting that a hero such as yourself needs a little help. And I am your willing slave." He winked at her. "Now, come on."

She leaned against David and the two people made their way towards a young maple tree. Penelope, with help, knelt in front of the grave, reached out her hand, and ran it along the cold stone.  
"I am soo sorry. Derek, I should have seen something. I should have been able to give you justice. But all I could think of was how much I missed you and how scared I was to be a single mother. I couldn't see that Lynch had a hand in your death. None of us could see."

Penelope wiped a tear away. But it proved useless for more followed. "We are the best BAU unit in the world and we couldn't see something underneath our own noses. I'm soo very sorry." She closed her eyes and allowed herself to retreat to a secret place in her heart, allowed herself to open up that sixteen and a half year old wound. As she wept, Penelope sensed David kneeling beside her, and felt his arms wrap around her.

A cold breeze swept through the graveyard and caressed the pair. It was then that Penelope knew that not knowing who Kevin really was, that not being able to see through the bastard, did not matter. What mattered was the here and now. Their children, their family, and the bond they still shared. She knew that Kevin would be punished and that he would not be a threat for much longer.

"Will you be alright, Kitten?"

"Yes, I think so." She sniffed, and leaned into David. "I think it is time to go home. Can you help me up?"

David smiled. "Of course." With effort he rose up and helped Penelope to her feet. "I'm getting too old to sit on the ground."  
"I have an idea, in a couple weeks when you and Ricky are in better shape, lets unwind and relax. Have some fun." They linked arms and began the walk to the car. "The kids can have a party at my place and us adults could go out to Sam's."

"We'll see. Right now I just want to be with my babies."

/

He leaned against the wall outside of Aaron's office and looked into the bull pen. The agents he had known for years were hard at work, trying to cut down on the stack of never ending paperwork. He didn't know what his life would be like if he had not come back to the BAU.  
There would have been less stress, sure.

But he would never have ended up with a family of his own. He wouldn't have two wonderful grandchildren, multitudes of nephews and nieces, he would have been alone.

"David, do you want to speak to me?"

"Yes." He straightened his jacket before going into the office. "I want to run the idea of retirement by you."

Aaron closed the open file on his desk. "Are you trying to get me to retire again? David," He cracked a smile. "you know I'm not ready to leave yet."

David sat in the chair and leaned back. "I know. But I am. Aaron, I'm in my mid seventies and I want to enjoy the time I have left with the kids." He looked at the photos on the wall. "Next summer I want to take Ricky and Grace to Italy with me. I wanted this summer but I think Penelope is taking them on a road trip. And I want to be able to go to school plays, football games, and other important events."  
He fixed his eyes on Aaron. "It is time. And between the kids in the bull pen I am sure at least one of them could fill my shoes."

"Are you sure," Aaron leaned forward. "this is what you want? I can understand where you are coming from but I need you to be one hundred percent sure this is what you want."

"I have spent the past month thinking of it." He played with the button on his jacket. "And it is what I want. I'm willing to stay until you can hire a new SSA but I think you already have one in mind. Am I correct?"

"Yes. Henry will be out of the academy in December. If you can stay until then, I can hire him on. Could you do that?"

David grinned. "I am sure I could. But I need something from you Aaron. I need you to keep this topic between you and I until December. I don't need them trying to talk me into staying." He sighed. "This is a hard enough choice without them poking their noses into it."

"I will." Aaron motioned to the window. "But keep in mind that the slightest change in behaviour will light up warning signs."

"Of course. I know that. And one more thing Aaron, this needs to be conducted on paper. No electronic forms. If anything makes it onto the BAU computers Penelope will find it."

"Sure, we will go about this like Spencer would."

/

As promised, once Penelope and Ricky had healed enough the team celebrated. They reserved a night just for themselves. No case, no football game, no rehearsals for plays. Just them. They had started out with a large dinner at David's then the BAU split off. The kids were having their own party at David's and the parents were out at Sam's.  
They had just ordered their second round of drinks.

Penelope looked anxiously at the pink phone on the bar table. "I need to call them..."

J.J. took the phone away and put it into her own purse. "Nope. Penelope, Lynch is in custody and the kids will be safe. Don't worry." She pushed Penelope's drink closer to her. "Here, drink."

She took the martini and sipped. "Can I just talk to them for two minutes? I need to hear Grace and Ricky's voice." She glanced at David and made her famous eyes. "Please. Tell J.J. to let me call home."

"Em, remember the last time she begged this hard?" J.J. put her beer down.

Emily snuggled up to Greg and grinned. "Yeah, it was her first day away from the kids, right?" Greg put an arm around her and drew his wife closer. She breathed in his musky scent.

Alex downed the last of her beer. "As I recall, Penelope, we had to hide all your phones in order to keep you from calling poor Spencer. What was the final number of calls?" She asked J.J.

"I think it ran about nine or ten calls." J.J. burst out laughing. "I think Spence was ready to shoot you after the sixth call."

"Yes." Spencer grumbled. "Try dealing with a kid high on caffeine along with watching three other children while trying to not sound panicked on the phone. It didn't help that I swore Anna would kill me for for forgetting our anniversary..."

"But I didn't." Anna turned his head and kissed her husband. "And it is a good thing I didn't because we have made three beautiful baby girls." She glared at Aaron. "Though I really wanted to string Jack up."

Aaron threw his hands up in defense. "I am not to blame. I was not the one who gave my son the damn redbull." He smiled at Spencer and Anna. "And since you two were going to have a kid you both should have considered it a learning opportunity."

Penelope giggled. "Yeah, a opportunity to learn how to use contraception."

The table, Anna included, burst out in laughter as the blush crept up Spencer's face. Penelope struggled to try to calm herself lest she ripped a stitch. "Spencer... you really shouldn't be so embarrassed after having three children. Honestly, you must have had sex soo many times. Anna, is he still good in bed?"

Spencer gasped. "Anna! You told them about us... about me... about our intimate time?" Right about then he wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"Of course I did... us girls talk." Anna smirked. "And of course he is. He's my stallion."

"Can we please change the subject..." Spencer cleared his throat. "This is all getting a little bit uncomfortable for me. So umm... when is Lynch's court date?"

"A month from now. Thankfully the judge isn't posting any bail. So he is staying in his little cell.." Penelope growled. "If he were walking around freely... oh I would so hunt him down and make him pay for everything. He took my sweetheart and then almost took my son. Not even death would be good enough for him."

"Penelope," Aaron looked over to her. "if Lynch was free, I think all of us would be waiting in line to give him what he deserves. I never liked the guy." He made a face. "There was always something... off about him."

"I know." Emily leaned in. "He was always trying to push to make himself fit into the BAU. Even though he was never actually part of the unit."

Penelope sighed. "It is because he wanted to control me and push me away from you guys." Her eyes glazed over. "He always pushed me to quit. To go off to an isolated farm so he could be the only one who had access to me."

J.J. put an arm around her BFF. "We are so very glad you didn't leave." She put her head on Penelope's shoulder. "I don't know how we would have gotten by without you." J.J. lowered her voice so only Penelope could hear. "I don't know how I would have gotten by without you. You're my best friend."

Penelope leaned in and rested her head on J.J.'s "As you are mine, Sister." She looked at the rest of the group. "You know I could never leave you. Especially for a farm without no WiFi. Could you imagine me being a farmer's wife?"

"As much as I could imagine Kevin handing a bale of hay!" Emily covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. "God it feels soo good to laugh after everything, doesn't it?"

"Yes it does." David raised his glass of scotch. "I propose a toast to laughter and family." He grinned when everyone else's glasses joined his in unity.

/

At the Rossi mansion Grace hauled out another bottle of pop. "It is a good thing Nonno bought a whole shitload of this stuff. I swear you guys are drinking it like water."

Henry downed the last little bit in his glass and went to go refill it. "Hey, if I can't have beer, this is the next best thing for me." He looked over in Jack's direction. "Hey, Jackie boy, having fun yet?"

"Yeah actually. I'm showing Andrea and Bridget how to actually win at Mario Kart. How about you?"

"Eh, I guess I'm having a decent time." He shrugged his shoulders. "Do you need any help Grace?"

"Yes, in fact I do." She unloaded a bad of cheese balls into a bowl. "Could you go get Oliver, I need his help getting some stuff from the kitchen."

Henry leaned against the table. "Why don't you let me help you?"

"Because," She crumpled up the bag and tossed it in the garbage. "I need help and I want it from Oliver. Not you."

"God, why do you need to give me the cold shoulder?"

Grace stopped and glared at him. " I am still very mad at you for being such a jerk." She turned around and stormed into the kitchen, Henry hot on her heals. "Stop following me!"

"No. Not until we talk about this. Girl, you have been giving me the cold shoulder ever since that night at the park. You never even given me a chance to explain."

She looked at him, if it could her stare would have killed him. "What is there to explain? You exploited me in a moment of weakness and kissed me. You know I've had a crush on you since like forever. And then you turn around and say what we did was a mistake."

"Let me explain, it is more than that." He reached out for her hand but Grace tucked it behind her back. "I know it isn't right but I love you. I love everything about you Grace Morgan. Your smile, your tough attitude, the plaid jackets you wear, your eyes, everything. And when I saw you looking so hurt, so vulnerable, I just wanted to protect you. And yes, I did cave into my weakness and kissed you. It felt right, it felt so very right Grace but," He ran a hand through his long blonde hair. "you are just 15. I can't touch you.  
I shouldn't touch you. And it takes every fiber of my being not to hold you right now. I will wait until you are ready. I will wait those two more years. I will wait for you Grace Morgan."  
He looked at her with pleading eyes. "Please tell me you feel something for me. Anything. Please?"

Grace brought her eyes to his and squared her shoulders. "No. I feel nothing but cousinly affection. I have a boyfriend who I really like and I will not throw him away on that chance that you will still like me in two years. No. Whatever we had, whatever we could have had, died that night in the park." She clenched her fists. "Now, Henry, if you excuse me I need to go see my boyfriend."

/

Ricky glared at Henry as he came out of the kitchen. He had heard the shouting and knew Grace was hurt. And judging by the way Henry looked, he was the cause of his sister's pain. Ricky readied himself to confront Henry but a hand on her arm stopped him.

He looked to who was holding his arm and saw Jane.

"Come. I need to show you something cool!"

"Can it wait a few moments." Ricky glanced over and saw Henry picking up a game controller. "I really need to talk to Henry."

"No. It needs to be now and you are coming with me." The younger girl dragged Ricky out onto the back porch. "There. I'll be back in a few moments." She raced inside and locked the door behind her, leaving Ricky outside, confused.

Jane made her way to the next target: Kat. Her sister was casually speaking to Austin by the fireplace. "Hey Sis. I need to show you something outside. It is really cool."

"Can it wait? Austin and I are debating the ethics of school uniforms?" Kat took a sip of her pop and rested it on a coaster. "It is really interesting."

"As interesting as it sounds," She dragged her sister up. "what's outside can't wait." Jane looked apologetically at the boy on the sofa. "Sorry Austin. But fate awaits this fair maiden."

She unlocked the patio door and almost threw her sister out. "You two need to talk. I'll be back in half an hour." Jane locked the door again, smiled, and walked away towards Austin.

Kat looked around the patio and saw Ricky sitting on a garden swing. "Hi." He patted the space next to him. "Well, why don't you sit while we wait to be readmitted to the party."

She nervously sat down beside Ricky, making sure she was as far away from him as she could get. "So... what do you think she wants us to talk about?"

Ricky shrugged his shoulders. "I have no clue." He saw Kat shiver. "Cold?"

"A little." Kat wrapped herself up in her arms in a futile effort to keep herself warm. "Jane didn't give me time to get my jacket."

"Here," Ricky raised an arm. "snuggle with me. It'll keep you warm." He saw her hesitate. "You know me Kat, I won't bite."

Kat gathered up her courage and snuggled into Ricky's arm. "So, have you talked to Mona since getting out of the hospital?"

"Yeah." She felt him stiffen at the topic. "We agreed it would be best if we were not together. Well, more like I was too much drama for her and she wanted to date someone else."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She placed a tender hand on Ricky's knee. "I know you really liked her."

"Kinda." Ricky looked down at Kat. "She was fun but in the end, I guess she wasn't the one for me. But this will make the remaining rehearsals awkward."

"Just a little."

Ricky couldn't help but think of how good it felt to have Kat snuggled against him. It felt as if she was meant to be there. "Hey Kat?"

"Yeah?"

He swallowed hard and took a chance that his gut was telling him the right thing. "Would you like to... go out with me sometime? Maybe to a movie or something?"

A huge smile burst across Kat's face. "Of course I would... Just find a movie you like and I'll go with you."

"I think there was a movie that you were talking about yesterday..." Ricky covertly dried the palm of the hand that was not around Kat. "What was it called again... Mirror Mirror? Why don't we go and see that... maybe next weekend?"

"Sure..."

Their eyes locked onto each other and it was as if the world had stopped. Ricky had never realized how beautiful Kat looked in the moonlight. He leaned into her, as if drawn by an unseen force. Their lips were almost touching when the patio door opened.

"Ricky, Mom's on the phone and she wants to-" Grace stopped when she saw the pair. "it's about damn time. But seriously. Mom wants to check up on us and I talked to her last time so," She tossed the ringing phone into Ricky's lap. "it is your turn bro."


	41. Trail and Error

_My apologies, last chapter I accidentally aged Grace to 16... she is really 15 in this part of the story... I've gone back and fixed it and again, sorry for the mixup. Anyways here is the next chapter. Thanks for the awesome reviews, I love, love, and love, getting them. I have no idea how the Virginia legal system works; tried to research it but didn't come up with a clear idea. Hopefully I didn't butcher it too badly.  
Enjoy! And I do not own Criminal Minds._

Penelope sat in the courthouse and glared at the defendant. Her hands tightly held onto her teenagers' hands.  
His lawyer: Steven Talbot, a small bookish man, who Penelope hated on sight, looked back at the BAU team who were seated near the front.

It took all her will power not to race up and strangle Kevin; to wrap her hands around his little neck and make him pay. If she had been placed in a room with him, alone, without any barriers, if for only a moment, there would not be enough of Kevin left to identify him.

She leaned forward and recalled the moment where Aaron let her see him prior to the trial.

/

"_Aaron, let me at him!" She growled at the figure in the cell._

_He placed a firm hand on her shoulder, holding her in place. "No, if I do you will be the one in a jail cell. Not him. And do you want to take yourself away from Ricky and Grace? Away from David, me, our family?"_

_Penelope fought against Aaron's grip. Ignoring the pain in her belly. "No, but no jury would blame me for killing him. Aaron. He killed Derek. He murdered the man I loved and the father of my children. What if they let him go? What if there is not enough evidence to hold him?" She clawed at the wall in front of her. "Let me at him."_

"_No!"_

_She turned to the guard. "Is there anyway I can at least speak to him?"_

"_We could put you in the empty cell beside him. Just for a moment." The guard nodded at Aaron. "She will be safe, and so will he. Though I wouldn't blame the lady if she killed him." He led Penelope to the cell beside Kevin and opened up the door. "All I can give you is two minutes to make your peace with him."_

_Penelope balled her hands into fists. "That is all I will need." She held her head high and walked in; and stood beside Kevin. "Lynch. I have a few choice words for you."_

"_Penny!" Kevin jumped up. "I knew you would come. You love me now, right? You saw how dedicated I am to you. How much I care for yo-"_

_She reached through the bars and grabbed the collar of his orange jumpsuit. "Shut up you worthless bag of shit. How could I ever love a sleaze like you? You spent years telling me how I was worthless, how you would be the only one that would ever love me; you spent every moment trying to keep me feeling like you were the only one for me.  
You tried to pull me from the man I love and my family, when you discovered you could not, you __murdered Derek. And then you put my son, an innocent boy, in harms way so YOU could look like a hero!"_

_Penelope leaned in. If the bars were not between them she would have gotten closer. "You are a coward Lynch. Nothing but a coward who lets others do your dirty work. And I will be there when they put the needles in your arm. I will watch you die, knowing that after you go, you will have Derek to face. And believe me when I say that I KNOW he will be there waiting to get his big strong hands around that slender neck of yours." She jerked his collar._  
_  
"I'll make sure to tell everyone else here," She looked around at the other cells that were filled and raised her voice. "that you worked for the FBI and probably helped put most of these men in here!"_

_She released Lynch and threw him back. "Have fun."_

/

A gentle hand on her shoulder broke her from the memory. Penelope turned around to see Fran smiling at her. "Don't worry Dear. They have enough evidence to convict him three times over."

"I know," Penelope sighed. "but you saw how rough Talbot was with Em. What if they think he didn't have enough of a hand to be convicted? What if he gets off? Or just ends up with a slap on his wrist?"

"I saw the jury when Emily was testifying. I don't think they bought Talbot's interrogation. Your team mounted a lot of evidence. Most of it sound." Fran tightened the grip. "He WILL pay."

"Shush!" Grace snapped at the two women. "The jury is coming back." She had one hand clenched on her mom's and one in Oliver's; Grace tightened the grip on both her children as Lynch rose to meet his fate.

Judge Freida Sampson looked down at the jury once they were settled. "Members of the Jury. How do you find Kevin Herman Lynch?"

An older woman stood up. "We the Jury, find the defendant, guilty of first degree murder in the death of Derek Kenneth Morgan and guilty in the kidnapping and attempted murder of Richard Derek Morgan. We recommend that the defendant receive the lethal injection for his crimes."

The Judge turned his attention to Kevin. "Mr. Lynch. You have been tried and found guilty by a jury of your peers." He raised his gavel. "Kevin Herman Lynch. In accordance with state law and the jury's recommendations, I find you guilty of first degree murder, guilty of kidnapping a minor, and guilty of attempted murder. I sentence you to death by lethal injection. The date of which, will be determined at a later time."

Kevin slumped in his chair and buried his head in his hands while the court erupted in noise. His parents had gotten him the best lawyer in the country and he still lost.

Grace and Ricky leaned into their mom and hugged her. "I knew they would get him."

Penelope wrapped her arms around Ricky and Grace, and held them tight. "It's over. It is almost over." Around her she felt the hands and arms of her family. She drew strength from them and they drew strength from her. She glared at Kevin as they led him towards the doors in the back.

"Can you let me talk to these people for a moment?" Kevin asked the officer. "It'll only take a second, I promise."

The guard looked at Penelope and her family. "Do you wish to speak to this man?"

"No." She focused her glare on Kevin, looking him in the eyes. "Me, and my family, have nothing to say to this _man_. Please get him out of here before I take care of him for you."

"As you wish, come on Lynch, time to go." Roughly, the guard pushed a protesting Kevin away.

Penelope exhaled and slumped against her seat. "It's almost over."

Alex placed a hand on her shoulder. "It is over. Lynch will never be getting out. He will pay for his actions. And we will find peace."

She shook her head, her voice broke with emotion. "No. It won't be over until he is dead. Until they stick the needles in is arms he will be a threat to me and mine. And I will not stop myself from looking over my shoulder, from keeping an extra good eye on my children, from thinking that he will get out and go after my babies, or you guys."

"He won't get the chance." Aaron looked at her. "He will be placed in a maximum security prison with no, and I repeat no, chances of escape." The man glared at Kevin's back as he was taken through the doors.

"No offense Aaron, but Foyet was in a maximum security prison and he escaped."

"Bambina. Foyet was smart, meticulous, cunning, and careful. Lynch may be smart but he is careless and far from cunning. Trust me when I say that he is not going anywhere." David took her hand and began to lead her out of the courtroom.  
"I think we could all use a couple drinks after this. How about we go back to my place for a bit?"

"Sounds like a plan to me." Emily took Andrea's hand. "I am soo relieved to just have this day over with."

"I think we all are glad." Will wrapped an arm around his wife and began to lead his family from the courtroom. "We can all begin to breathe a little easier."

/

David opened up his liquor cabinet and pulled out the scotch along with a bottle of red and a bottle of white wine. "So, we have wine and scotch. And for those who are underage we have pop and juice in the fridge. So, who wants what?"

"I'll take the scotch." Penelope volunteered. "Three fingers please."

He grinned and poured the liquid into a glass. "I knew that making you live here would get you to love scotch." David handed her the glass. "Here. Drink up."

"Mmm..." She savoured the drink's bouquet before taking a sip. "After spending over five years here, I needed to like this if I were to survive."

"Hey, I'll have none of that lip young lady." David gave her a stern look before breaking out in a large grin.. "I treated you and the kids well. As if you were my own brood."

"I know and I will be forever thankful to you." She tenderly looked at the older man. "And David, aside from having your Italian genetics we are family." She motioned to the room full of people. "We are all family."

"Well," J.J. looked at Austin and Jane and smirked. "that makes some things awkward."

"What does?" Spencer piped up. "Is there something you are not telling me?" He looked around the room, trying to figure out what everyone was smiling about. "Come on, tell me."

"It's nothing Spence. Just relax and have a drink." J.J. looked at David. "Pour him a glass of white and I'll have a glass of the red, and Will, what do you want?"

He kissed his wife and smiled. "If you have a beer David, I'll take it. If not, scotch."

"There's some beer in the fridge. You're young, you can go get yourself one."

"I'll have a beer too Will." Aaron said. "And I think Jack will also have one." He turned to his son. "Would you?"

"Yeah, sure. Anything to make this tension go away."

"And one for me too Dad." Henry got up. "Here, I'll help you carry them."

David shook his head. "No account for taste. Perfectly good scotch and wine and they go for beer." He turned back to the group. "Anyone here want some of the good stuff? Or are the rest of you going to go for beer?"

"I'll take the white wine." David poured the glass and handed it to Emily. "God, you were right." She took a long, deep drink. "After today, I needed a drink. Never thought we would have to deal with this, again." Emily sighed. "But now it is almost over." She held onto Penelope's hand. "Just a few more steps to take and then we can put this to rest."

"How about you Alex? What can I get you?"

The brunette shook her head. "I'm alright David, but thanks. You enjoy yourselves, I think I'll just take a little walk." She got up and faked a smile. "After being in that stuffy courtroom for a week I need some fresh air. If you excuse me, I will be right back."

"Kitten, can you go talk to her? I think she needs a soft shoulder right now."

"Sure David. Just save some booze for us." Penelope downed her scotch and followed Alex out the door.

/

Penelope grabbed onto Alex's shoulder. "Stop right there. Please."

Alex stiffened. "Penelope. I can't help but blame myself for all of this." She wrapped her arms around her body to conserve heat. "If I didn't transfer to this team, if I had stayed lecturing and teaching, you would have been able to move on and would not have to deal with any of this." Alex bit her lip. "Maybe I should leave."

"No!" Penelope spun Alex around. "Don't leave. Listen, everything happens for a reason. Sometimes the reason is hard to find but in this case, it is easy. Sure this whole thing opened up a wound, but guess what? That is a wound that will never really heal."

She tucked Alex's hair behind her ear. "The reason this happened was so we could finally give Derek the justice he deserves. Now, the one person that orchestrated his death will pay. Without you, he would still be walking around all happy and free.  
I know you blame yourself for bringing Andrew into this, for his affair, and for Ricky's kidnapping. But Sug, you are not to blame. You were never to blame. You had no idea about the affair, you had no idea that Andrew was in league with Lynch, and guess what? You were the one who figured out that Andrew kidnapped Ricky. You helped save his life."

"I know, but," Alex blinked away the tears. "I should have sensed something was wrong. I should have known what the divorce would have done to... to.. to Andrew. I should have known. Dammit, I was his wife for over two decades!" Her fists clenched and her nails dug into her skin, drawing blood. "I was a fool."

"Alex." Penelope put her hands on her friend's shoulders and shook her. "Wake up. Think of how many UnSubs the team have caught, how many of their wives, parents, or husbands, knew of their actions? Not many. Love blinds us.  
Look at Austin and Jane for example. They love each other, it is clear to almost anyone, but do they see the other person's feelings, no. Did I see Derek's true feelings? No, not until just before..." Penelope stopped herself for a moment.

"Point being. You are not to blame and if you blame yourself one more time I will make you watch five hours of Chaplin to make you smile. Got it? Now," She turned Alex around and gently pushed her. "lets go back inside where it is warm and have a nice glass of scotch. It will make everything better, for now."

The steam from the heat wrapped itself around the pair as they entered the mansion. "David. Pour me another three fingers and get Alex three fingers too. We need to get this girl good and drunk tonight."

"Just in time. Come on in and lets get some booze into you two." David poured he glasses and handed them to the ladies. "Smile. Today was a victory. A huge one for all of us. And I know somewhere out there, maybe in this very room, Derek is celebrating with us. Cheers to family."

"Cheers!"

As the adults drank and talked, Oliver led Grace out to the patio. "How are you holding up?"

She shrugged and looked at the old playground. "I'm doing fine. I am sad that my mom is not her happy self. Hell, she has stopped bugging me to wear dresses since... since she came home from the hospital. But, I never knew my dad and haven't... haven't had a real connection to him besides my personality and this ring." She pulled out the chain around her neck. "My Uncle Jason gave me this years ago... it was the day Clooney died. He was my dad's dog that my mom took in when..."

Oliver wrapped his arms around Grace. "Just because you never knew your dad doesn't mean that you do not love him with some part of your heart." He kissed the top of her head. "He will always be with you and you can not tell me that this whole thing hasn't affected you in the least?"

Grace broke from Oliver's arms. "Of course it has affected me. My brother almost died and my mom is hurting." She stomped her foot. "And now I find out that I could have had my dad around but some jerkwad that had a creepy crush on Mom decided that without Dad around, he had a fair chance at her. And despite being the best of their kind in the world, none of them saw through the ruse. None of them..."

"Calm down Grace."

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down, boy. I could have had my dad to play catch with, to protect me, to give me away at my wedding. But now..." She bit her lip. "I had accepted it. But this, this opens it up and I have to deal with it all over again." She began to cry. "I have to deal with it alone."

Oliver once again wrapped Grace in his arms. "You don't have to deal with it alone. You have me. I love you Grace. And I will stand by you for however long you need me."

She buried her head in his chest and tried to block out his words.

/

Inside Henry scowled as he glared at the pair.

"Son," Henry jumped when he felt his dad's hand on his back. "if it is meant to be, it will be. But in the meantime, be patient and let her do her thing."

"But Dad, what if I never get the chance to be with her..."

"Then," Will patted his son's back. "it was not meant to be."

As he continued to look at Grace and Oliver, Henry could not help but shake the belief that one day he would make Grace Morgan his. Until that day came, he would have to bide his time and wait. But for a girl like Grace, Henry would wait until the end of time.

Between now and then, Henry would focus his energy on Austin and Jane. He was getting tired of Austin mooning over the girl.


	42. Christmas

_Thank you! I was soo nervous about butchering the Virginia legal system. Up here the legal system is all the same from province to province, well aside from Quebec but it is a special province... As for Grace, I have plans. Good plans, but exciting plans. Just stick around and you shall see!  
Anyways, here is the next chapter. A Christmas chapter! Yay! The BAU and Penelope have an unexpected visitor for the holiday.  
As usual I do not own Criminal Minds._

Penelope yawned as she put the last of the gifts under the tree. Even though the kids had stopped believing in Santa years ago she still wrapped gifts from him. It had kept a bit of the magic alive and it would do until she had grandkids that would partake in the magic of the holiday.

She smiled as she pushed the poster tube with a baseball bat in it under the tree. Tomorrow would be soo much fun. First it would be just her and the twins, then later she would head to David's for the big dinner with everyone. All day would be spent with family and it could not make Penelope any happier.

"There you go. Grace is going to love you." She looked around. "Looks like Santa is done for the night." Penelope got up and dusted off her pants. "Time for this Mrs. Clause to go to bed."  
She turned to go upstairs but was stopped when she heard a knock on her door.  
"It's 11:30 at night." She walked to the door, praying Angel would not bark. "Who the hell could that be?" Penelope checked the peephole and gasped. She could not believe who it was. It had been... years. She flung open the door and flew into Jason's arms.

"Gideon! This is such a surprise" Penelope pulled back and smiled. "What brings you in Quantico this late?"

"I was going to be spending the holidays in New York but my flight got cancelled at the last minute." He gestured to the snow. "And I thought about spending the holidays with you, and the rest of the BAU. So how about it Penelope?"

"Come on in Jason." She moved to allow him inside. "You know you are always welcome here. But you are lucky that Fran and her girls are staying in Chicago this year or else it would be a little crowded in here." She moved into the kitchen and Jason followed. "I'll make you a cup of hot chocolate and then I'll make the bed in the suite for you.  
And tomorrow," Penelope began to plot after she put the cup of milk in the microwave. "before the kids open their gifts you can surprise them. And then we can have chocolate chip pancakes and bacon." The microwave beeped, she took it out, and stirred in the mix.  
"How does that sound?"

"Perfect." He took the cup from her. "My apologies for this last minute intrusion."

"Oh it is alright." Penelope waved her hand in acceptance. "More the merrier and the kids would rather have you here than a phone call. Ricky has... changed though, just warning you."

"How?"

She sat down. "It's a long story. To make it short Lynch and Andrew, Alex's former husband, kidnapped Ricky and tortured him. Left a lot of physical and mental scars on my baby." Penelope blinked away the tears. "I almost lost him. And after we saved Ricky... we found out Lynch also planned Derek's murder. It was a hard couple of months. But, it is almost over. In two months Lynch will be put to death and we can all put this behind us."

"I'm sorry that I missed that." Jason sighed. "Why didn't you tell me this in your emails?"

"I'm sorry Jason." Penelope looked down at the table. "I just wanted to keep reliving the experience to a minimum. There are just so many times that a mother can close her eyes to see her injured child." She got up. "I'll let you know when the bed is ready." Penelope began to leave but was stopped by Jason.

"I understand. I'm sorry if I pushed too hard." He squeezed her hand. "Do you need any help making the bed?"

"Sure. I could use you to grab some linen."

/

The morning after Penelope bolted out of her bed at 8am, put her slippers on, and began knocking on doors.

"Come on Ricky. It's Christmas!" She gave him a second before barging in. "Come on boy. Santa brought you something extra special this morning."

"Mom..." He pulled his comforter in front of his eyes to block out the light. "It's too early. Just five more minutes."

Penelope sat beside him "Are you saying that you would rather sleep than open presents and your stocking? That you would rather sleep then see your super special present?"

He realized that going back to sleep was going to be a fruitless effort. Ricky sat up. "Alright mom. Give me five minutes to get dressed and I'll be down..."

"That's my boy." She ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek. "I love you Ricky."

A small smile cracked his face. "I love you too Mom."

"I'll see you downstairs Sug." Penelope got up and made her way to Grace's room. She knocked on the door and gave Grace a moment before coming in. "Grace sweetie, it's Christmas! Time to get up and start the day!"

Grace rolled over. "I know. I heard you getting Ricky up. Why so early? We usually sleep in for another hour."

"We are getting up early because your super special present is waiting for you downstairs and I can't wait to give it to you two. Now," She opened the blinds. "it is time to get up." Penelope sat down beside her daughter.  
"Grace. I love you." She tucked a strand of black hair behind Grace's ear.

"I love you too Mom." In a rare display of affection she hugged Penelope; Grace pulled away and smiled. "I'll be right down Mom. Just let me get dressed."

"I will." Penelope got up and made her way to the kitchen for coffee. She wasn't surprised to see Jason up already. He had always been an early riser.

"Do they know yet?"

"Nope." She grinned. "All I said was that Santa brought them a special gift this year." Penelope twirled the k-cup holder. "So, Jason, what coffee would you like?"

"Surprise me Penelope. As long as it has caffeine I will enjoy it."

"You will have your wish, Santa." She popped in a hazelnut up and pressed the button to brew it. "Do you still take your coffee black?"

"Yes." Penelope took the cup and placed it in front of Jason. "Thanks. It smells wonderful." He leaned back. "You know I thought about getting myself one of those but it would have to be more... portable."

Penelope popped herself a French vanilla cup. "Oh, you are in luck then because they JUST came out with a small portable version." She opened a drawer and pulled one out. "I have one myself for when we travel. It is a godsend."

Jason picked it up and looked the device over. "It does seem convenient. When I get home I'll look into getting one. Thank you." He put it down and went back to his coffee.

"Ooooh! Jason, I think they're coming. Brace yourself." Penelope peaked around the corner. "In here you two."

Grace and Ricky stepped into the kitchen and screamed.

"Uncle Jason!" Grace ran into Jason's arms. "Oh my god. Mom," She looked back at her mom. "how... how did this happen?"

Penelope smiled and leaned against the wall. "He stopped by last night. Uncle Jason's flight was snowed in." She sipped her coffee. "Thought you would like the surprise."

Ricky held back from Jason. His hands tried to cover the scars on his arms. "Hi Uncle..."

"Come here son." Jason motioned to Ricky. "Your mom told me what happened." Ricky slowly came to his uncle. "Sit." Jason looked at Penelope and Grace. "Can you two give us a minute? I'll spend all the time in the world with the two of you soon but right now, this is more pressing."

"Come on Sweetie. We can put in that old Frosty the Snowman dvd you love." Penelope led her daughter out of the room. "We'll be close by if you need us Ricky."

"I know Mom." The boy turned his attention to his Uncle. "I'm sorry... it's just that... you've never seen these scars..."

Jason ran a finger along a long scar on Ricky's arm. "I am sorry I wasn't there... I didn't know. If I was," His eyes met Ricky's. "I would have been there. How are you feeling now?"

"Alright. At first I was uncomfortable with the scar on my cheek but, now I don't really care." Ricky shrugged. "My mom is having me talk to someone about the kidnapping and the abuse and I guess it is helping." He looked towards the living room.  
"I'm more worried about Mom. She is afraid, I can see it. The slightest noise makes her jump and she is always looking around for... for him." He turned his attention back to Jason. "Will she ever be herself again? I miss her."

"In time she will. Once Lynch is permanently out of commission she can begin resting." Jason placed a hand on Ricky's shoulder. "Until then, humour her. Make her believe that you and Grace are safe. Your mom is tough. But you and your sister are her greatest weakness. She would die to protect you." Jason picked up his cup of coffee. "Now. Enough of this depressing subject. Lets go and watch that movie with your mom and Grace."

/

"Nothing like some old fashioned animation." Penelope shut the tv off. "I loved watching this when I was a kid." She wrapped an arm around Grace. "And I can't believe that you both love it too!"

"Well," Jason grinned. "if you introduced this movie to them when they were infants it is no surprise they enjoy it."

Grace looked at Jason. "Every Christmas I can remember, we've been watching this. My first memory is at Nonno's. Curled up in his arms watching the movie while looking at the huge stack of presents." She turned her attention to Penelope. "Mom, is Uncle Jason coming to Nonno's tonight for dinner."

"Not sure, it depends if Uncle Jason wants to come." She glanced towards Jason. "Would you? There is always extra food and I know everyone would love seeing you. Oh!" Penelope bolted up. "You should see Kat, she looks just like Spencer. It is soo adorable!"

"Sure. If it is alright with Rossi I would love to come. It would be nice to see everyone again." Jason sighed. "It's been far too long since my travels have taken me here." He chuckled. "I have never been soo glad to have a flight cancelled."

"Oh of course it will be alright with David. I just need to give him a quick call after we open presents. I'm sorry that we don't have any for you..." Penelope looked at the pile of gifts.

"It is alright Penelope. My visit was unexpected." He leaned back into the sofa.

"Thanks. No, wait. I have something. Ricky, Grace, separate the gifts. I'll be right back." Penelope bolted off the sofa and headed into her office. She had an idea for the perfect last minute gift but needed a few moments to craft it.

Ricky knelt by the tree. "Alright, this one is for Mom." He picked up a box wrapped in gold paper. "From Uncle Aaron so this will be for later..."

"And this is for me, from Santa." Grace picked up a long cylinder gift and placed it beside her. "And this one," She took a red box from the pile, "is for you Ricky from Grandma." Grace handed it over to her brother who placed it in his pile.  
Soon the gifts were placed in piles. The ones from each other and from Derek's family would be opened here. The ones from the BAU family would be opened tonight at David's where everyone would partake in the joy.

Grace sighed. "What is taking Mom so long." She stared longingly at the gifts meant for her. "She's been in her office for half an hour."

"I'll check up on her." Ricky got to his feet and went to the office. "Hey Mom? Is everything alright in there?"

"Yeah Ricky. If you want you can come in."

He opened the door and stepped in, careful of the wrapping paper on the floor. "What are you making for Uncle Jason?"

"Come here," Penelope smiled. "and see." Ricky knelt down beside her and looked at the multi picture frame. "I"m purging pictures from the past three years from the team and putting them in here. See," Her finger went to one. "this is last Halloween of all you kids, and this one in the corner is the team celebrating Uncle Aaron's birthday." Penelope chuckled. "I still can't believe we fit all those candles on there." She fingered a photo on the left. "And this is from Aunt Em's wedding."

Ricky ran a finger over the photographs. "Uncle Jason is going to love this." He leaned into his mother. "Momma, you are amazing. How is it that you always know what the best thing to do is?"

"I don't know how I know." She kissed Ricky's head. "I think it's a parent thing. When you have kids, you will understand. But," Her tone became serious. "I don't want any just yet and your Uncle Spencer would kill you if you knocked up Kat, so be careful."

"Hey Mom, are you done yet!"

Penelope looked over the frame. "Yes. Just give me a second to wrap it Grace. Then I promise we'll open gifts." She used all of her skill and Ricky's hands, and wrapped it up in paper decorated with snowmen and Santa. "Alright Grace. I'm coming."

/

Grace ripped open the paper on the elongated tube and slid the bat out. "Oh my god! Mom I love it." She ran her hand along the wood. "This is sweet! As soon as the snow melts I'll have to play ball with Jack." She leaned over and hugged Penelope. "Thanks Santa."

"You are welcome my sweet. Now Ricky, it is your turn."

He picked up the box with the red wrapping paper and ripped it open. Ricky threw off the top and dug into the tissue paper. "Oh my..." He pulled out a book. "Gray's Anatomy, I never said I wanted this... how did you know?"

"Kat told me. She said it would help you study for the MCAT." Penelope grinned as Ricky excitedly flipped through the book. "Do you like it?"

"I love it Mom! Thanks!" He got up and hugged his mom.

"Alright, now for Momma's turn." Penelope picked up a gift bag with snowflakes. "This one is from Grace. I can't wait to see what my darling daughter got me." She ripped off the tape and opened the bag. "Oh my..." Penelope pulled out thee homemade hair clips. One with a huge fake flower, another with pink ribbons, and the last had a bunch of odds and ends stuck together in a brilliant design. "I love it! Well done Sug." She kissed Grace's cheek. "You're full of surprises."

/

In under fifteen minutes the floor was covered in paper, boxes, and bags. The only gift remaining was for Jason from Penelope and her children. "I hope you'll like it. It was last minute."

He toyed with the corner. "I would enjoy anything from you and the kids. Now lets see what delayed you and kept poor Gracie waiting." He ripped open the paper and gasped at the picture frame. "Amazing." He pointed to the photo of the kids. "Was this from last Halloween?"

"Yes." Ricky pointed to a ghost on the side. "That's me and the cowgirl in the middle is Grace. And this photo over here is Aunt Em's wedding. Doesn't Kat look beautiful in her bridesmaid's dress?"

"She is growing up to be a beauty, that is for sure." Jason looked up with tears in his eyes. "Thank you Penelope. This, this was unexpected but wonderful none the less. It will look perfect in my study." He leaned forward and hugged his friend. "Thank you so very much for today."

"No problem Jason." Penelope wrapped her arms around her old friend and grinned. "You know you're welcomed here, always."

"I know."

Penelope released Jason and got up. "Ok you two twinnies. You can clean up the mess here while I go and talk to Nonno. And then we are going to call Grandma, Aunt Sara, Charlie, and Aunt Des, to wish them a Merry Christmas. Do you want another cup of coffee Jason?"

"Sure." He handed her his empty cup.

/

Grace rang the doorbell and squealed at the Christmas carol it played. "I love Christmas here. Nonno always has the best decorations and food." She looked up at her uncle. "Anna is helping him this year and she makes the best stuffing in the world. Just wait until you try it."

The door opened and David embraced the kids. "I was wondering when you four would show up." He kissed the kid's cheeks. "There is some apple cider if you two want some." David led the group inside and took their coats. "Everyone is here in the living room. Here," He took the pile of gifts from Penelope. "let me take them. Jason, it is a pleasure to see you again." He extended his free hand and shook Jason's. "I was surprised when Penelope told me you were in town."

"My flight was snowed in." Jason cracked a smile. "I guess it turned out to be a good thing. This is better than having Christmas alone."

"What about your son? What is his name... Steven?" David led the group towards the living room. "Didn't you have plans with him?"

Jason put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "No. He's with his mom this year. But I sent things for him and his kids."

David wanted to press more but realized Jason wanted to leave the conversation about his son. "Check out the tree. Jack, Henry, and I chopped it down ourselves this year." David put the gifts under a huge tree. "It took us hours to drag it out of the forest. But I think it was worth it."

"Couldn't you have bought one from a lot?" Jason looked at the tree which glowed from the lights. The glass balls through shards of light across the room. It made the entire area look magical.

"I could have. But there is something magical about trekking through the woods with two of my nephews in search of the perfect tree. We did it a couple years ago and I was hooked on the experience." David put an arm over Jason's shoulders. "Now, come with me. If I recall, you enjoy scotch?"

"You are correct. And I recall, you keep a good stockpile of the stuff?"

"Of course I do." David led Jason to the living room where the big stone fireplace roared. "Everyone, the last of our guests have arrived."

Spencer got up and walked over to Jason. "Wow, it is you." He embraced his former mentor in a warm hug. "David said he had a surprise guest but I would have never guessed it would be you. Bridget, Kat, Jane, come here."  
His three daughters rushed to their dad's side. "Aren't they lovely Jason?"

"Yes they are." He took Kat's hand and kissed it. Causing the girl to giggle. "Penelope was right, you are indeed the spitting image of your father." Jason looked to Spencer and grinned. "We should have put you undercover in drag. You would have done well."

His eyes opened wide in protest. "Hey!"

Jane put a hand over her mouth and giggled. "Oh, you liked that. Let me guess... you are Jane. Red hair, delicate features, pale skin. You are your mother's daughter, that is for sure."

"True, but she has a high IQ like me." Spencer looked affectionately at Jane. "She wanted to skip a couple grades but I wouldn't let her."

"Yeah," Jane grumbled. "instead he has me doing extra work that he composes. I wish I could at least go into Austin's grade. Papa," She pleaded. "why can't I go up a grade?"

"Because when you are pushed up a few grades your classmates take advantage of you and use you. Trust me, it is better to be in your own grade with your own peers. Now calm down and we will talk more about this later, ok?"

"Alright." The girl pouted.

"She has a temper on her. Doesn't she?" Jason asked.

Spencer smiled. "Oh you have no idea. Kat, Jane, if you want to you can go back and sit down. Just give your Uncle Jason a hug." He watched with love in his eyes as his two daughters hugged Jason. They then quickly hugged their dad before rushing off.

Jason turned his attention to the remaining child. "And this must be little Bridget." He knelt down to her level. "You are different. Rebellious, strong minded... the black sheep of the family."

"Yes." She looked at Jason with her piercing blue eyes. "And you're Uncle Jason. I sort of remember you..."

"Last time I was here you were a little squirt. You certainly are growing up to be a beautiful woman. The boys are really going to love you."

Bridget cracked a smile and instantly her face warmed up. "My Papa says I am not supposed to like boys. But," She leaned in. "I do."

"What else do you like?"

"Horses. I love horses."

Spencer rocked back on his feet. "That she does. Bridget has a whole collection of plastic horses at home. And every time we go shopping she has to get a new one. Tell Uncle Jason what your favourite breed is?"

"Shire!" Bridget jumped up and down, her black curls bounced. "I love Shires. They are big, powerful, and brave. Like my Papa."

"Well, tell you what Bridget. Tomorrow morning why don't I take you to the stables outside of town. I have someone there that owes me a favour." He smiled. "I need to do something to make you remember me this time." Jason gently tickled her sides. Inside he couldn't help but think about how much the child looked like William. And even though Jason could tell that Spencer loved this child he was more reserved to her than Kat and Jane.  
Bridget needed something of her own, something to help her find who she needed to be. Or else she would spend her life trying to be like her sisters.  
And Jason had the perfect idea to open the kid up. "Is it alright Spencer?"

"Of course. Just bring her back safely."

"I always will."

"Turkey's ready." Anna kissed her husband. "Time for dinner. Would you mind rounding everyone up?"

/

The adults watched as the kids piled the gifts beside the people they were labelled to. The sight brought back memories of Christmas past for the BAU and the misty eyes parents couldn't help but wish to go back in time to when the children were younger and when the magic of Christmas ran strong.

"Here Papa." Kat took a gift wrapped in silver paper. "This is from Uncle David. And this one," She dug up a red box. "is for Aunt Penelope."

"And this one is for you Kat." Grace handed her a small bag. "It is from Ricky. God I hope he didn't cheap out on you. If he did I'll break his arm for you." Grace pulled out a gift bag. "Here Nonno, this is from Uncle Aaron."

David took the bag and laid it in the pile at his feet. "Thank you Gracie."

"Jane," Austin grabbed a box. "this is for you... from me." A slight bush crept up his face. "I hope you like it Jane. I spent a lot of time thinking of what would be right for you..."

"I am sure I'll like it no matter what." She looked to her dad who was busy talking to Auntie J.J. before giving Austin a peck on the cheek. "Thank you." She returned to digging through the pile.

"No... no worries." He cursed his voice for breaking. Austin hated puberty and couldn't wait for it to be over.

"And this is for you from me, Austin." She handed him a bag. "I saw it last month and it seemed perfect for you." She felt her heart stop when his hand touched hers. The electricity was hard to ignore but she managed to push the feeling aside. There was no way someone like Austin liked her. He was the goth kid with black hair and spiky collars and she was the smart bookish girl from next door which no one would have looked at twice.  
But the look that he gave her with his green eyes... it made her question her thoughts.

"I think we are ready." Penelope clapped her hands. "So, who goes first?"

"I'll go first." Jack volunteered. He picked up a random gift. "This is from... Jane. Now let's see what our little genius got me." Jack grinned as he ripped the paper off. "Oh Jane." He held up the red home made sweater with black trim. "Did you make this?"

"Yes. Aunt Penny helped by teaching me how to knit but I did do most of the work. Do you like it?" Her eyes anxiously looked at Jack. Begging for approval.

"I don't like it, but I do love it squirt." He ruffled her red hair. "It is perfect for these cold Virginia winters." He stripped off his current sweater and put the new one on. "Perfect fit too. Thank you Jane."

"Whose next?"

"I am!" Andrea squealed with delight. She took a flat gift wrapped in snowman paper. "This one is from Uncle Aaron." She ran a hand over it. "I wonder what it could be..."

"Well," Aaron leaned forward. "the only way you will find out is if you open it kiddo."

With the prompt from Aaron, Andrea ripped the paper off and yelped when she saw what was inside. "Oh my god Uncle Aaron!" Andrea pulled out a Beatles vinyl record. "Revolver... Oh my..." She flung herself in Aaron's arms. "How the hell did you find this on vinyl?!"

"I called in a favour at a record store in London." He wrapped his arms around Andrea. "Thought you would like to add it to your collection."

"Oh I do!" She released her uncle and went back to the album. "Look at the artwork, it is amazing... You know this was a major achievement for the Beatles... held the number one spot both in Britain and in America for six weeks and stayed at the top in Britain for an extra week." She pulled out the record and examined it.

"Andrea." Grace poked at her friend. "You're starting to sound like Uncle Spencer."

"Oh..."

Aaron leaned back and made himself comfortable again. "Alright, who's next in the first round?"

/

Soon most of the gifts were opened and the floor was littered with the remains. David had just poured a round of drinks for the adults and a round of hot apple cider for the children. "Ok folks. I have some news that I wish to share with you.  
As most of you know Henry LaMontagne has graduated from the FBI academy here and is currently looking for a job within the FBI. Kid, come here for a minute." He winked at Aaron to join him and Henry.

"Boy, I along with Uncle Aaron would like to informally offer you a position at the BAU. If you are still looking at the unit."

Henry gasped. "Of course I am. But, the BAU is operating at full capacity. There is no room on the team or in the budget for another SSA."

"Actually son," David wrapped an arm around Henry. "there will be a spot opening up in the new year for an academy graduate. You see, I am an old man now," He turned to the rest of the group. "how old I will not say. But," David turned his attention back to the young man in front of him. "my old bones are tired and so am I. When we get back from our holidays I will be training your mom, and yes J.J. you are getting my position, to take over for me. Leaving a spot opened. Would you still want it?"

"Uncle Aaron?" Henry looked at the younger of the two men in front of him. "Is this true? Is Uncle David retiring?"

"Yes he is. This is a big decision so if you need time to think it over, you can have until the new year. But, it would be an honour to have you on my team Henry."

The boy thought for a moment. Weighing to good and the bad. He would be working with his mom and she would be tough and protective at the same time. But he would be working with the rest of his family and Henry knew there would be no better place to start off his career than the BAU.  
"Yes. I would love to."

"That's my boy!" David enveloped the younger man in a hug. "You will do great Henry. I know it."

"Thank you Uncle David..."

"It is settled." Aaron patted the boy on the back. "Starting in the new year you will be our youngest member." Aaron smiled and looked at Spencer. "Finally! You are no longer the youngest of the team!"

Spencer grinned. "It is about damn time. I've been the youngest member for twenty five years!"


	43. Memories

_Thank you all for sticking through this story and for reviewing. It means a lot. :) And here, is another chapter. As usual I do not own Criminal Minds :(_

Penelope seated herself between Aaron and Emily in the small room. Before them was a pane of glass and beyond that stood the bed Lynch would lie on while the chemicals snuffed out his life. On the other side of the room Kevin's mom and dad sat. Glaring at Penelope.

"I wish they would stop looking at me." She whispered. "It makes me feel... uncomfortable."

Aaron leaned in. "They blame you for his conviction but please do not let them get to you. What happened to lead up to this moment, was Kevin's fault. The actions he took were his own and Lynch had every chance to act against his feelings."

"Trust me," Emily took Penelope's hand. "everything will be better once he is gone."

"I know Em." Penelope leaned on her friend's shoulder. "But last night I couldn't help but think of how different things might have been. If Lynch wasn't soo... sleazy, we wouldn't be here. Derek would be here to see his children grow. I could wake up every morning to see him beside me. I would still have my soul mate."

"We all wish he was here." Aaron grasped Penelope's free hand. "But we have to accept the present and plan for the future. And the future is already happening. Jack bought a house and is establishing his career at the Youth Center. Andrea graduates next year and she'll go off to college. I wouldn't be surprised if Jack made a move on her once she turns 18. They've been eying each other the past couple of years. Ricky is dating Kat and is planning on medical school. Henry is finished at the academy and is integrating well into the BAU, J.J. is settling into David's old job, and who knows what else will happen." He squeezed her hand and smiled.  
"You have to remember that you are here making sure that a threat to you, us, and your children, is neutralized."

"I know, I know." She looked at the door on the side behind the glass. "There he comes." Penelope took a deep breath, sat up, and glared at Kevin. He looked soo different than when she saw him at the trial. His hair had been shaved off, his eyes were red with worry, and he had lost weight. The look of terror in his eyes made Penelope feel slightly sorry for the man in front of her.

But then Penelope remembered what Kevin had done to earn him a spot on that bed. He had killed Derek and kidnapped their son. The rage once again built up inside her and she focused all her energy and attention on Kevin.

The guard strapped him on the bed and inserted the needles into his arms. Finally, he asked Kevin if he had any last words to say. The frail man nodded; the guard placed the microphone up to him and turned it on.

"Mom, Dad... I love you both and I am soo sorry for this. I know there are a lot of people here rightfully angry at me for my actions but Mom and Dad, out of all of them I know you two will be the ones to eventually forgive me. I love you. And Penelope," Their eyes locked and he faltered for a moment when he saw the rage reflected in Penelope's eyes. "I never meant to hurt you... I meant to love you. To take you away from the blood and guts, to live with you on a nice farm with cows and goats, and little chickens. But I know that I did hurt you... and I am deeply sorry for it. I hope that eventually you will forgive me for everything. Though I do not believe you ever will."  
Kevin gulped and nodded. Signalling he was done. The same guard placed a mask over Kevin's face. They waited a minute in case a pardon came.

On both sides of the glass time seemed to stand still. Everyone's breath held for the moment, waiting for the warden to give the signal to flip the switch. Penelope chanced a glance at Kevin's parents. Their hands were clasped in one another and tears were running down Mrs. Lynch's face. She may not feel much sympathy for Kevin but her heart went out to his mom. Penelope had been lucky not to lose her son and she could not begin to contemplate how much it would hurt to see someone who you brought into the world be taken from it.

The minute passed and her face snapped forward. She needed to see him die with her own eyes. It would be the only way Penelope would feel safe again. The only way she could feel as if her children were safe. The grip she had on Aaron and Emily's hands tightened and in turn they held tighter as the chemicals flowed into Kevin's body.

As Kevin began to die his body started to spasm and jerk violently. The restraints held him tight as the cells in his body ruptured, as his heart began beating faster and faster. Finally Kevin's body gave one last spasm before becoming limp.

The physician overseeing the execution came forward and checked Kevin's arterial pulse. She gave a nod signalling that the procedure had been successful.

Penelope leaned back in her chair and sighed. "It is finally over. Fully over." She touched her cheeks and realized they were wet with tears. Partly for Kevin, partly for the release of stress. "This is one less danger for my children... I should feel happy, But..." She looked at Aaron. He had seen six executions and had more experience. "I don't. I feel relief but also sad. Why?"

"You witnessed the death of someone who was, at one point, very close to you. It is normal to feel sad. But, as you said Penelope, this is one less danger for Richard and Grace."

"Come on PG. Let's get out of here." Emily began to help Penelope stand up.

In the corner of her eyes she Kevin's parents. "You two go. I'll catch up with you in a minute." She let go of Emily and Aaron, and walked the small distance to the Lynchs.  
"I know this is hard to believe... but Mr. and Mrs. Lynch... I am sorry for your loss."

Irene snapped her eyes up and glared at Penelope. "No you are not. You wanted him dead. You wanted my baby dead." She got up and bared her teeth at Penelope. "You were his death. He was normal until he met you. He was a normal boy with normal hopes and wishes. And you," Irene spat. "took those away."

"Darling," Jake held his wife firm, "Kevin was a good boy but he had his issues... you know that."

"Jake he may have had certain issues but he wasn't a killer until he met _her_." Irene pointed a finger at Penelope. "You killed him."

Penelope squared her shoulders and prepared herself for a battle. "He killed the man I love, and he threatened my own son." She clenched her fists. "I did what I had to in order to protect my child. As you would do for Kevin. I came over here because as a mother I feel your pain. But I can see that I am not welcomed and while I do not blame you for rejecting my condolences I would like it if you could, as a fellow mother, see where I am coming from." She spun around on her heels and prepared to leave. But Jake's hand on her arm made her pause.

"Ms. Garcia. We are thankful for your condolences. But please, don't speak to us again."

"I won't." She held her head high as she walked out without a glance at the body of Kevin Lynch.

/

That night she sat in the dark of her house. Drinking wine. She had already downed one bottle and had just made it to the bottom of another. The empty glass sat on the table at her side. She had came to the conclusion that she could get drunker faster if she skipped the middle man, aka, the glass.  
The kids were at David's so she didn't have them to worry about tonight.

Tomorrow she would pick Richard and Grace up but for now she needed to be without them.

A knock on her door caused Penelope to struggle out of the chair and stumble towards her door. Even in her drunken state she checked the peephole before opening the door to reveal J.J. with two more bottles of wine. "I thought you might want some company tonight."

"... Thanks" Penelope stepped aside to allow J.J. entrance into her home. "I... I..." She flung her arms around J.J. and sobbed.

Skillfully J.J. placed the bottles on the settle and wrapped her arms around Penelope. "Shh... Let it all out." She led Penelope to the sofa and set her friend down, her arms still around the sobbing woman. "It's going to be alright."

"I... I killed him. His mom was right. I killed Kevin..."

"No you didn't." J.J. rubbed Penelope's back. "It was his own actions that led to his death. Not yours. He had the choice of moving on and concentrating his energy on his family but he chose to obsess over you. He chose to plan Derek's death. You did not kill him." J.J. leaned back and stared hard in Penelope's eyes. "You are not to blame for his actions. And you are not the blame for his death."

Penelope gasped for air and struggled to speak. "J.J., if I hadn't led him on... if I had gone for Derek right away... Kevin would still be Mr. Happy." She wiped a tear from her face.  
"Did you know that after I was shot... Derek told me he loved me?"

"No, I didn't..."

"And what did I do?" Penelope got up and began pacing. "I went for the safe bet and dated Kevin. I brought him into our little game and played him like a chess piece. If I didn't, if I hadn't J.J., things might be different. Much different."

"True," J.J. grasped Penelope's hand and stopped her pacing. "but you wouldn't have had Grace and Ricky. You would have had a totally different family. Can you imagine not having Grace annoying you with her ripped jeans and jerseys? And could you imagine not having Ricky's books littered all over the house?"

"No. But I can imagine Derek here. I can feel him." Penelope turned to J.J. "Imagine having Will gone but still being able to feel him... to sense him. But not able to see or touch him. J.J., I'm negated to seeing Derek in my dreams or... or when I am death's door. I miss him soo much." Penelope collapsed in tears onto the floor. She wrapped herself in the fetal position. "I just want him here to hold me..."

J.J.'s heart broke at the sight. Instantly she knelt beside Penelope and drew her friend into her arms. She cradled Penelope as they both cried. "I know I can't feel what you are feeling Penelope. But know that I am here for you. I am always here for you. And I always will be." J.J. stroked Penelope's hair until sleep overcame her friend and the sobbing ceased. Soon after J.J. joined Penelope in her slumber and both women slept curled up to one another on the floor. Each one drenched in tears.

She knew that a small minute part of Penelope had been crying for Kevin. But J.J. knew most of the tears her friend had shed were for Derek. The tears were always for Derek.

That night Penelope's dreams were restless and exhausting, She kept dreaming that she would save Derek only to have him melt away in her arms. She saw dangers she couldn't protect Grace and Richard from. She had to stand aside and let them battle those dangers on their own.  
Penelope dreamed about Aaron being blown up by a car bomb, about Will getting shot, her dreams were poisoned by the image of Spencer dying from anthrax, and her dreams were littered of Emily dying. The night was not peaceful at all.

In the late morning Penelope finally stirred. As she woke Penelope could smell the sweet scent of J.J.'s perfume. She took a moment to remember last night. The tears, the words, the comfort she had drawn from her best friend. Penelope looked over and saw the empty bottles: the cause of her headache.

Struggling she got up from the floor. Her back would make her pay for this. She was far to old to sleep on the floor.  
J.J. stirred. "Will..."

"Sug, I'm not Will."

"Oh..." J.J. looked around to get her bearings. "How... how are you feeling?"

"My head is killing me." Penelope slumped down on the chair. "And my back is screaming."

"My back isn't too happy with me either. Help an old woman up?" J.J. extended her hand to Penelope and with her help, got up off the floor. She took the couch and drew the blanket around her body. "So, aside from your head... how are you?"

"Still sad. But a little better. Thanks J.J..."

"Anytime. Just like I said... I am always here for you. That will never change." She smiled. "But, you could make it up to me by getting me a coffee... it is going to be a looong day."

"No kidding." Penelope got up and made her way to the kitchen. She popped in a k-cup and started the brewing process. While the machine did its work Penelope walked to the table and looked at the picture on the wall of Derek and her.

"I'm sorry Derek..." She pressed her hand up against the glass. "I miss you soo very much. Right now I would give anything to feel your arms around me..." Penelope bit her lip and blinked away the tears. "I still love you."

A cold sensation entered the room. Penelope closed her eyes and could _almost_ feel an unearthly presence surround her. She leaned into the feeling and allowed her mind to think it was Derek. "You are still my Hot Stuff..."

The beep from the machine broke the feeling and brought Penelope back into the real world. Instantly she felt emptier than before. Penelope forced herself to move back to the machine and to take the cup. She put it to the side while she began the process of brewing her own coffee. While the machine was busy with her drink Penelope added the sugar and cream she knew J.J. liked with her coffee.  
After both beverages were done she carted them to the living room.

"Here, it is German chocolate flavoured. I think you'll love it."

J.J. took the cup. "Thanks. Anything with chocolate in the title is good." She inhaled the scent of the coffee. "And if this tastes like it smells... I will love it. What are you having?"

"Hazelnut." Penelope took a deep sip of her coffee. "My favourite. Had it when I went with the kids to Chicago when they were six months and I was hooked..." She put the cup down.  
"Looking back J.J., doesn't everything we've been through seem a little... unreal?"

"What are you talking about?" J.J. sipped the coffee and savoured the flavour.

"Jason's girlfriend dying and him leaving, Haley's murder, Elle murdering an UnSub, Em's death and resurrection, her sexual assault and pregnancy, Will getting shot, Maeve's murder, Derek's death... everything." She looked at J.J. "We have been through so much... it amazes me that the only ones to break were Jason and Elle..."

"Jason," J.J. leaned back. "was a loner. He leaned on himself rather than on the team. When he was faced with a tragedy of his own and found himself unable to deal with it by himself... he ran.  
Elle, she wasn't that close to the team. Again, she was a loner who kept herself at bay and in the end chose to deal with her issues by herself. The rest of us... we learned to lean on one another... to draw strength from each other when something bad happened. And when something good happened, we all took part in the happiness. That," She turned her blue eyes on Penelope. "is what a true family does."

"True." Penelope curled up in her chair. "I don't know how I would have gotten through Derek's death without you guys..." She played with the rim of the mug. "I'm so very thankful to everyone..."

"And without the team," J.J. grinned. "I would have never taken that vital step with Will... I would not have married him, we wouldn't have Austin or Henry..." She toyed with her wedding ring. "things would have been soo very different."

"It's like what Aaron says I guess." Penelope sighed heavily. "We have to take both the good and the bad moments. Eventually they will balance out... one day."

"Yeah," J.J. scoffed. "I am still waiting. I know what he means but the bad memories and times always seem to be more clearly remembered than the good ones..."

"You know what Spencer would say?" Penelope sipped her coffee. "He would say that the more our minds dwell on a particular incident the better we recall it. So this girl says we have to spend more time dwelling on the good and less time on the bad."

"Easier said than done..." A silence hung in the air as both women picked a good memory to dwell on and thought about it.  
J.J. picked the moment Will had showed up on her doorstep for their first date. He had brought her daffodils, her favourite flowers. It had been the most romantic night she ever had. And looking into his eyes as the moonlight shone down on them... she had allowed herself to imagine marrying and spending her life with the man.

Penelope picked the first date she had with Derek. She went back to the moment they walked on the beach. The summer had just begun and the heat had caused her green dress to stick to her figure.  
She recalled how Derek looked in the moonlight, the sound of water lapping at the water's edge, the feel of the sand between her toes.  
The look that had been in Derek's eyes would forever be etched in her mind. It was pure love. The same look he had given her many times over but that had been the first time she had been fully aware of it. Music from the restaurant had flowed over to them and it was to that music they danced to, on the sand, with the moonlight shining down.

"I guess things are not that bad..." Penelope snapped herself back. "Our children are growing up and for the most part they are turning into good people. I'm proud of them..."

"So am I." J.J. grinned. "I can't believe that Henry is in the BAU... He's all grown up Penelope. Remember when he was only a baby?"

"Yeah, he was soo adorable." She chuckled. "Remember when you brought him into the war room? Derek looked soo adorable holding him."

"I know. And the way Spence smiled was priceless on so many levels. The only other time I've seen that smile was when his girls were borne." J.J. sighed. "I wish I could have more..."

"Likewise. But," Penelope wrapped an arm around J.J. "I think we've released enough terror in the world for now. We will just have to wait until our kids start having babies, then we can spoil them, hold them, and be grandparents. Imagine that," Penelope snorted. "us being grandparents."

J.J. took a sip of her coffee. "Hopefully that will not be for a looong time."

"Hey," Penelope poked her friend's side. "you know Henry is at the age where he could find someone to give you grandkids."

"Yeah but," J.J. rolled her eyes "the girl he has his eyes on isn't available, on more than on level. He still likes Grace. She keeps pushing him away and he keeps pushing right back. Remember when they were little and we joked about them getting married?" She put her cup down and snuggled into the sofa. "Do you think that will ever happen?"

"Maybe." Penelope shrugged her shoulders. "Only time will tell. But, if he lays another hand on her before she turns 18 I will throw his ass in jail. Got it?"

"Yep. Don't worry. Will has already threatened Henry into submission."


	44. Road Trip

_Sorry about the long wait. Work has been exhausting and my brain has refused to write this chapter. I hope this is alright, it was a struggle to write. Anyways, I do not own Criminal Minds but I am waiting on pins and needles for tonight's ep!_

As the sun broke over Quantico Henry busied himself with loading up the last of the Morgan/Garcia luggage into Penelope's van. He had their house to himself for the next two weeks and intended to enjoy every moment of not having his little brother hanging around.

"All done?"

He closed the back door. "Yup Aunt Penny. Let me just check your oil and you'll be free to go. You look really excited."

Penelope beamed. "Of course I am. Two weeks of being on the road with my babies. And a chance to show them where I grew up. This is going to be awesome fun, I will make sure it is. After all, this might be the last big family trip... They're growing up soo fast..." She leaned on the van and sighed at the thought.  
"Are you sure you'll be alright here for two weeks by yourself?"

"Of course." Henry popped the hood. "I'm 21 Aunt Penny. I can fend for myself for two weeks. Besides," He pulled out the dipstick. "this will give me two weeks to look for a place without coming home to my mom crying. And it will be awesome spending two weeks with Angel. I've always wanted a dog but... you know what happened to my mom." After carefully checking the stick he put it back and closed the hood.  
"You are good to go."

"Thanks Henry, but I could have checked the oil myself."

"I know that." Henry rubbed his hands on his jeans and grinned. "But between Grace, Ricky, and packing you had enough on your plate."

Penelope couldn't help but to return the smile. When Henry smiled he looked just like Will, but with long shaggy blonde hair. "Boy, you should think of cutting that mop. You have a Sasquatch thing going on."

He ran a hand through the long locks. "I know. But I like it. Makes me feel rebellious and as long as the She Dragon doesn't mind it, I'm keeping it."

"Ricky, Grace, are you two almost ready yet?" She turned her attention back to Henry. "You won't have to worry about her for too much longer. Word in the system is that Strauss is retiring and that Uncle Aaron is in line for her position; if he wants it." Penelope leaned forward. "But don't spread the word around too much. It is still supposed to be under wraps."

"My mouth is sealed." He ran a finger over his mouth then looked at the house. "Do you need me to go in and drag those kids out?"

"Nah. Ricky has to say his good-byes to Kat and Grace is talking to Oliver." She saw Henry stiffen at the mention of Grace's boyfriend. "You know, I saw the same look in Derek when I dated Lynch. Don't worry Sweetie," Penelope tenderly brushed his hair back. "if it is meant to be, it will be."

He turned his blue eyes to Penelope. The worry in them was evident. "What if it is not meant to be Aunt Penny? What if she ends up with someone else? What if she actually ends up with... Oliver." He spat the name and pursed his lips. A trait he had clearly learned from Spencer.

"Then," Penelope laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "it means you are meant for another lucky girl. Trust me with your charm, that slight hint of a southern accent, and your parent's good looks... the girls are probably fawning over you already. And to add to your appeal, you now work for one of the top FBI units in the country. You will be alright."

"Thanks." Henry hugged his Aunt. "You better get your butt on the road if you want to get to the hotel at a decent time. And call Uncle David when you get there. Or else he'll panic and in turn my mom will panic. Then my two weeks to scout out a place in peace will be gone."

"Don't worry. I will." Penelope tenderly kissed her godson's cheek before dropping the house keys in his hand. "Now, I've left you a list of everything that needs to be taken care of, along with the number for the vet if anything happens to Angel. Let me know if you can't find anything or if anything goes wrong. And-"

Henry grinned. "Aunt Penny. I will be alright." He put his hands on Penelope's shoulders. "I will be alright. Now," He turned Penelope around and gently shoved her in the direction of the house. "go and get your kids ready or else you won't make your stop."

She trudged in and glared up the stairs. "Come on you two! We are already half an hour late!" She waited a minute before barging up.  
"Ricky, say bye to Kat. You two can text on the road." Penelope knocked on the door and opened it.  
"If you are not down in five minutes I will drag you down boy!"

"Ok, ok." Ricky rolled his eyes. "Just let me grab a couple things and I'll be right down."

Smiling, Penelope closed the door and made her way to Grace's room. "Come on girl. Time to hit the road!" She pushed the door open. "Five minutes and I will send Henry up here to drag you out."

Grace groaned and grabbed her backpack. "I don't know why we have to go on this road trip. What would be soo bad about staying here for the summer? Everyone else is here and I'll be soo behind the rest of the team after missing football camp."

Penelope caught Grace's hand and drew her into a hug. "It's because I want to show you where I grew up. And it will be the last family vacation I will have before you two go off to college and the academy. I want to cherish it and make memories. And you can go to the second football camp in August" She pulled her daughter back. "Is that soo bad?"

"I guess not." Grace sighed. "But please, no annoying music or car games!"

"Oh come on Grace," Ricky came out of his room and leaned against Grace's frame. "you know Mom is going to do that no matter what. Musswell suck it up and go with it."

"True. Now, kids, lets get going!"

/

They had spent four hours on the road after stopping for lunch at a diner in a small town before stopping at a truck stop for supper.

Penelope had been weary of stopping there due to past experiences but she had the choice of pushing on and surrendering the last bit of her sanity or stopping for something to eat and a chance to fully stretch her legs. Mere moments ago her kids had beaten her resolve to push on.

_"Mom, Ricky is looking at my phone!"_

"_No I am not!" Ricky squealed in protest. "I was just looking out the window!"_

_Grace glared. "No you weren't! You wanted to see who I was texting!"_

_"Yeah," Ricky snorted. "like I don't already know you are texting Oliver."  
_  
_Penelope glanced in her rear view mirror. "Quit it you two. Grace, Ricky wasn't looking at your phone. __And Ricky calm it with the attitude. Be nice to each other. We have another day on the road before getting to California and I would like it if you two didn't kill each other before then."_

"_Ok..." Both her kids pouted but submitted to the request._

Gra_ce put her phone down on her lap. "I'm hungry Mom, are we stopping for supper soon?"_

_"Soon. According to the GPS there is a truck stop just up ahead that we can stop for something to eat... are you sure you can't hold on for another hour? We will be at the hotel and can go out for decent food."_

"_No." Ricky put a hand on his stomach. "I'm starving."_

A defeated Penelope pulled up beside a pick up truck and put the van in park. "Ok, we are here. Order and eat fast so we can get back on the road, alright?"

"Alright."

Grace unbuckled and was out in a flash, followed soon by Ricky. Penelope kept an eye on both of them going into the diner while she unbuckled and got out of the van. Before walking to the building she looked around and made a note of what was around her. It may be irrational but she didn't trust places like this. And with her kids here with her Penelope's senses where heightened.  
Once inside the diner she sat at the window booth in the corner with her kids.

"Mom, can I have a chocolate milkshake?" Ricky asked.

"Oooh, if Ricky is having a chocolate milkshake, can I have a float?"

"Of course." Penelope opened the menu and was pleasantly surprised to see that the joint had actual food. "Oh! Look you two they have all day breakfast here! This place isn't half bad after all."

Grace rolled her eyes. "But it's supper Mom. Why don't you just have a burger or something? You know, act normally for once?"

"Hun have I taught you nothing? You can have pancakes anytime of the day." She winked. "And acting normal is just too... boring and dull. Insanity is colourful and fun!" Penelope ruffled Grace's hair and laughed at her neat ponytail that was now out of place. "Let your hair down a little sweetie."

"Yeah Grace," Ricky smirked. "how often is Mom 'normal'? Just except that we have a weird Mom."

Penelope poked Ricky. "Hey, I didn't say I was weird, just that I am not normal. I'm... unique."

Grace finally cracked a smile. "Unique is one way of putting it."

/

Half an hour later Grace had inhaled her burger, Ricky had eaten his grilled cheese sandwich, and Penelope had polished off her pancakes.  
"Do you two feel better?"

"Yeah." Grace downed the last of her float. "Not as good as Uncle Aaron's burgers but I guess it will have to do." She leaned back and looked out the window. "Does our hotel have a pool? After today I could so go for a swim."

"Oh yes it does. And," Penelope clasped her hands together and grinned. "it has a super awesome water slide. It's why I booked ourselves there. Now, are we all done?" Ricky and Grace nodded. "Then it is time to hit the road. But before, go to the bathroom because there are no more breaks until we get to our hotel." She ushered the twins up and paid the bill while they were in the bathroom before going herself. Her heart fluttered at the thought of being in her hometown in less and two days.

/

Grace dove into the pool off the high dive. Instantly she felt the stress of the day melt away into the water around her. She had always loved swimming. She probably owed this trait to Aunt Em who had often took her swimming with Andrea when they were both younger. Uncle Spencer used to refer to her as a Melusina and would read her tales of the being. She had been a water goddess who often took to her element to escape the hard world of mortals. There had been more to the story than that: love, heartbreak, betrayal.  
All the factors a good fairy tale needed, according to Uncle Spencer. But Grace chose to embrace that one element of the tail: the goddesses natural love for water. The rest of the tale, well the rest only led to the goddess having her heart broken by someone she should have been able to trust.

Only when her lungs screamed for air did she allow her head to break the surface. She brushed her wet hair out of her eyes and looked at her Mom. Grace couldn't help but grin at the site of her mom, in a floral print bathing suit, swinging on a rope above a pool screeching in joy. Sure, her mom was weird, strange, and outlandish, but she was one of a kind. Penelope was her mom and Grace wouldn't change her for anyone, even her her aunts.

After a moment she slipped back beneath the water and allowed it to take away everything: worries about the football camp she was missing, boys, school, family, everything. She allowed herself a few moments to swim beneath the surface and to relax before starting her laps.

/

Ricky sneaked into the bathroom for a moment in the hopes of gaining some privacy to text Kat. With his mom and sister all in the same room talking to her without one or the both of them hanging over his shoulder or asking him how his girlfriend was had proven to be a hard task.

At the moment Kat was fine. But Ricky missed her. This two week trip would be the longest he had been away from Quantico, and her. He had lived most of his life with her right down the street and now that she was hours and hours away Ricky felt his heart breaking. The only solace he had was knowing in one week and six days he would be with her again.

"Hey Ricky, are you almost done?"

He sat at the edge of the tub and groaned. "Not yet Sis. Give me a few moments of solace. Please!"

"Or relax Grace. He's probably just taking care of some... needs."

His eyes shot forward and glared through the door. "Mom! I'm not doing that! Please. Can you two harpies just leave me alone for ONE minute?!"

Ricky waited a moment for a rebuttal from his mom or sister but sighed with relief when none came. "That is more like it. Now, where was I." He turned his attention to the small screen and the precious words that glowed before him. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the words.

/

The next morning Penelope woke up an hour before her kids. She slipped out of the bed and carefully gathered her clothes for the day before going into the bathroom to change and make herself somewhat decent for the world of mortals.

She went to a coffee shop she had spotted last night on their way to the hotel and ordered her usual white chocolate mocha. Penelope say by a window seat and looked out at the lake while sipping her coffee. It was still this morning, almost like glass. If they could spend another day here she would have taken the kids to the beach. But, she wanted to allow a few days in San Francisco, and a day at Disney Land, and then there would be a few days at Fran's. There could be no time for extra days on the road. And besides, there were beaches in San Fransisco where they could build sandcastles and swim. Penelope leaned back and allowed herself a few moments to relax.

The steam from her cup floated upward and fogged her glasses. Blurring Penelope's vision for a moment. She took the glasses off and wiped the fog away with her yellow cardigan. Sighing, she put them on and picked up her coffee. They should be on the road soon if they wanted to make it to San Francisco on time. Penelope wanted to take them out for a special dinner tonight.

Penelope walked the short distance back, enjoying the wind in her hair and the sun on her skin the entire time. When she got back the tell tale sounds of her kids could be heard from outside. Smiling she slid her key into the lock and walked in.  
"I was just about to come and wake you guys but I see that you two beat me to it."

Grace put her pj's in her backpack. "Eh, we heard you get up and knew it would only be a matter of time before you wanted us up." She walked over and dumped her backpack at the door before going back to get her charger.

"Yeah. Plus, we want to get to San Francisco too. I am dying to see the Golden Gate bridge." Ricky slipped his toothpaste into a little bag. "I've seen it a million times on TV and postcards. It must look soo much better in person." He put the bag into his suitcase. "Does it?"

"Yes." Penelope leaned against the door. "A million times better. Just wait. And the place we are going to tonight has the best Mexican food you will ever have." She laughed as she felt her stomach grumble. "First breakfast place we see, we'll stop and grab something."

"Sounds good." Grace grabbed her backpack and suitcase. "Can you move Mom so I can get by."

"Sure." Penelope moved inside. "I have to get packed anyways."

/

That night they pulled into San Francisco. Ricky pressed up against the window and gasped at the city. His mom had talked about growing up here; she always talked about how the city was so vibrant and beautiful in the summer. He had thought she had merely been exaggerating but no. The city was indeed a change from Quantico and Chicago.

"Mom, is that the bridge?"

"Of course it is dummy." Grace smacked the back of his head. "You've seen hundreds of pictures."

"Ow! Mom! Grace hit me!"

Penelope could not help but grin at the sight of her home town. "Cut it out you two or else I'll ground you both."  
Her home may have been in Quantico but a small bit of her heart would always be nestled in this city. It was where she grew up, where she went to school, where she had her first taste of life and freedom. It would always be home and even the squabbling of her kids could not bring her mood down.

"But Grace started it."

"Ricky, I don't care who started it. All I want is for the both of you to stop it and behave. We're almost at the hotel and after we get there we'll go out for dinner. If," She looked in the mirror. "you both behave. If not, we will just order in and you two will miss out on the greatest Mexican food you will ever have south of the boarder."

Ricky sat back in his seat and glared at Grace. Letting her know that though he was silent now he would get her back for the smack.


	45. San Francisco

_Yay the writer's block has seemed to be lifted, for now. Here is another chapter! Thanks for the reviews on the last one. It was really hard to write for some reason... But anyways: I don't own Criminal Minds._

In the later hours of the morning Penelope walked down to the harbour with her children at her side. The wind off the bay kept the summer heat from becoming too bad.

"You know I spent many summers down here eating ice cream and watching the boats. I wonder if Bill still owns that ice cream stand..." She began to run a little. "Come on! We are almost there!" Down on the docks she panted with Grace, waiting for Ricky to catch up.

He arrived breathless. "What was the rush Mom? Why couldn't we have just walked?"

She patted his back. "I needed to get here to see if Bob still had his ice cream shop. He literally has the BEST ice cream in this part of the city."

"I think if he was here, he wouldn't have gone anywhere in the extra time it would have taken to walk." Ricky glared. "Really, I wanted to see the shops and take in the culture."

"Sorry son. We'll experience it on the way back, ok? In the meantime let's see if Bob is still here and then we can feed the seals. How does that sound?"

His eyes bugged out. "Seals? We can feed seals here?!"

"Yup." They began to walk along the boardwalk. "They used to have a place here where you could buy fish to feel the seals. I think it should still be here." A grin burst across her face. "I see it! I see Bob's!" Penelope grabbed Grace and Ricky's hands and dragged them to a stand that was manned by an older man with patches of grey hair.

"Bob Fergus?"

The man who Penelope thought was Bob looked up from his newspaper. "No other. Whose asking?"

"Penelope Garcia."

His eyes shone with recognition. He opened the door of the stand and came out. "Garcia?" He looked her up and down. "It can't be... last time I saw you, you were what? Twenty?"

"Nineteen, but close enough. I used to come by every Sunday afternoon on my bike for an ice cream cone: strawberry and chocolate with sprinkles."

"It really is you Kid!" Bob wrapped Penelope into a hug.

She returned the hug and grinned. "I'm surprised you remember me Bob."

"Oh how could I forget someone like you. You were the only nineteen year old who had every colour imaginable painted on your bike. I missed you. What happened to you girl?"

"Well, after my parents died I struggled for a year before slipping underground... I began hacking for a living." Her face took on the look of a child caught doing something she shouldn't have.  
"A few years after that I was picked up by the FBI and they actually hired me as a Tech. Eventually they had me apply to work for the Behaviour Analysis Unit and I got the job."  
Penelope laughed. "I couldn't believe it at first either. Me. Working for the government. Anyways I've worked there for 25 or so years. Fell in love, and had two adorable kids. Oh, they are over here!" She turned around and presented her children.

"There are my children: Richard and Grace Morgan. They're sixteen this year."

"Sixteen," Bob grunted. "makes me feel even older."  
He ruffled Ricky's hair. "They both look like fine young'uns. This one must me a chip off his old man's block. Only thing you got in this lad is the eyes. And her," He turned to Grace. "now she looks like a chip off your block. But somewhat different.  
If you don't mind me asking Penelope, is their Dad around? I want to meet the man that gave you these two."

Penelope sighed. "He died little over sixteen years ago... he was murdered." She twisted her bracelet. "He worked for the BAU too but his job took him out to the field." She blinked away the tears. "He never knew about these two nor that I was pregnant. But," Penelope wrapped her arms around Ricky and Grace. "I know he would be proud of them."

"Sorry to hear that." Bob's face softened. "Did he at least make you happy?"

"Yes." Penelope smiled. "He spent over eight years making me happy in one way or another." She closed her eyes and the memories flashed quickly before her. When she opened them Penelope's smile grew.  
"So, I told these two that you have the best ice cream on the strand. Do you care to prove me right?"

Bob grinned. "Certainly. Come this way and pick what you want. Whatever you want is on the house."

"Oh no," Penelope protested. "I insist on paying you."

"Lassie, I spent well over twenty years worrying about what happened to you. Seeing you and your family is payment enough. Now, if you come by tomorrow then I will have to charge you." He winked. "Now, what will it be?"

"Can I have a chocolate swirl, two scoops, with a waffle cone?" Grace asked.

"Or course little Lassie." He began scooping the ice cream. "How long are you in town Penelope?"

"Only four days. We are planning on going to Disneyland for a day and we still have to visit Grace and Ricky's Grandma and Aunts in Chicago. It is a busy road trip."

"Sounds like it." Bob wrapped a napkin around the cone and handed it to Grace. "Here you go sweetie" She muttered thanks before tucking into her treat. "Now," He turned his attention to Ricky. "what will you have son?"

"Hmm... one scoop of strawberry cheesecake and one rocky road? Please?"

"Coming right up." He started getting the cone ready. "So have you been to Carlos'?"

"Yeah," Penelope leaned against the cart. "we went there last night. It has new owner's doesn't it?"

"Yup." He took a napkin and wrapped the cone up. "Carlos sold the place five years ago. The poor man's wife had breast cancer and he needed the time to spend with her and to take care of the kids. The sale also helped with the medical bills." He handed the cone to Ricky. "Insurance company wouldn't cover most of it. Sad story really." Bob leaned back.  
"But enough sadness. Why don't you three come over for dinner tomorrow night? Patty would love to see you again Penelope. And I know she would love your kids." He turned to Ricky and Grace. "She loves kids but never could have any. You two would be spoiled rotten."

"I'm not sure, we have a full schedule planned." Penelope began going over what was planned over the next four days. Something had to be cut, something could be cut.

Bob leaned forward. "Come on Lassie. What happened to the girl that would throw her cares away and just went with the wind. You know you want to see Patty."

Penelope giggled. "That girl grew up and became a mother. It is hard to throw your cares to the wind when you have two children to look after. I kinda had to put that part away."

"But you are on vacation. Come on, live a little!" He handed Penelope an ice cream cone without her having to ask.

"Thanks Bob." She licked the cold cream and caved. "Alright we'll come. Do you two still live in the same place?"

"Nah. We moved five and a half years ago into a house closer to the harbour. Patty wanted to be able to see the sun coming over the bay in the mornings. And," He once again turned his attention to Ricky. "when you give the woman what she wants you live a happy life. Mark my words young lad."

With his mouth full of ice cream all Ricky could do was nod in agreement.

"Can I have your address then?" Penelope pulled out her phone and prepared to type it in.

"Of course, it is 46 Seabrook Ct. One of the fancy neighbourhoods." His eyes shone with pride. "My investments finally paid off and I could move Patty out of that little shack into something nice. I tell ya, it has the biggest kitchen you have ever seen."

"I can't wait to see it." Penelope beamed with joy. "I don't care what we have to cut. We will be there at six sharp!"

"That's my girl. Now, I think you must have better things to do than stand around and talk to an old fogey like myself."

Penelope laughed. "Never. But I did promise that the kids could feed the seals. Is Crabby Joe's still open?"

"Yup. And they still sell the fish for the seals. I tell ya Penelope they struck a great money making idea there. People will always pay to feed those seals. Almost wish I came up with that idea first. But," He chuckled. "I can't stand the smell of fish. Hence why my stand is upwind of all the fishing boats. Now, off with ya."

/

Penelope held the tray with the six fish. "Now, when you are feeding the seals make sure that you watch for the gulls. They will take a fish right out of your hands before you know it. Those birds are bold!"

"I will." Grace took a fish by the tail and knelt at the edge of the dock. She kept an eye on the gulls while she knelt. "Do I just drop it down?"

"Yes. The seals will catch it."

Grace dropped the fish and squealed with excitement as it landed in the open mouth of a seal. "It ate it! Oh Ricky, there is one there waiting for a fish. Feed it!"

"Alright..." Ricky gingerly picked a fish off the plate and wrinkled his nose. "It smells and it's slimy too... gross."

"Come on." Grace rolled her eyes. "It isn't that bad. Just kneel and drop it. It's fun!"

He was skeptical as he knelt, and still was as the fish slid out of his fingers. But once the seal vaulted up and grabbed the fish he smiled. He got up, his eyes filled with joy. "It took it!"

Their mother beamed with happiness at their enjoyment. "Do you want to do another?"

"Of course!" Grace took a fish and was followed by Ricky. They each fed two more fish to the waiting seals. Laughing and squealing with joy as the seals came closer and closer. All the while the gulls looked on enviously.

Finally there was one fish left on the tray. "Would one of you hold the tray while I feed one? I'm dying to do it."

"Sure Mom." Grace took the tray. "Go right ahead."

Penelope felt like a child as she knelt at the edge of the dock. Her eyes glazed over for a moment as she recalled all the times she had come here with her family when she was younger. Right then she would give almost anything to have her parents there.  
Sometimes her children thought they were alone in their feelings about their father. But she understood better than anyone else on the team what it was like to lose parents.

The sound of the seal grunting brought her back. Smiling, she dropped the silver fish into the waiting mouth. "There you go Mr. Seal. I see the tourists have been good to you and your buddy. Both of you are sure nice and fat!" She stood up and used the napkin from her cone to wipe away the fish slime from her hands.

"So, who is up for fish and chips? After we will go and walk on the Golden Gate Bridge!"

"Hmmm... We've already had ice cream." Ricky laughed. "Desert before lunch? Not very often that happens. Does it?"

"Not very." Grace grinned. "Let's take advantage of this! Mom, I could have lunch. Let me guess, you have the place picked out already?"

Penelope's eyes shone with glee. "Of course! Deb's has the best fish and chips here! And they are right on the bay so we can watch the boats. Oh, today has been soo much fun!"

/

They sat down at the table closest to the ocean to eat their lunch. "So, how is it?" Penelope asked after a moment.

"Don't tell Uncle Will but this fish is even better than his!" Grace exclaimed. "Maybe it's because I'm hungry but this is really, really, good." She took another piece and dipped it in the tarter sauce before eagerly shoving it her mouth.

"Grace is right." Ricky swallowed his mouthful. "It's... amazing."

"Everything is amazing when you are in a new place." Penelope sipped her pop. "But yeah, this is one of the best places in North America to have fish and chips. Hence the long lineup.  
Call me biased," She looked at the ocean before them. "but I think it is the best place. My family and I spent many summer days out here together."  
Penelope sighed. "I know you both are eager to grow up and be adults but trust me when I say that you should enjoy the time you have now."

An odd silence fell over the table as the children pondered what their mom had said. She never really talked about her parents much, They knew it had been a sore spot in her life and one of those wounds that would never full heal over. But their mom had talked about her parents more in the past twenty four hours than in the years they had known their mom.

"Do you miss them?" Grace spoke.

"Yes. Every time I have the urge to call my mom... I have to stop myself and be reminded that my mom and the man who was essentially a father to me are not around." Penelope feigned a small smile. "But I know they are with your dad and that they would be very proud of me and of the way you two turned out. My mom always said that one day she wanted grandchildren..."

Ricky reached out and touched her hand. "Do you want to visit them while we are here? Because Grace and I would be totally down for that."

Penelope shook her head. "No need to dig up old ghosts and bring you two down."

"Mom, you let us visit Dad whenever we need to and it always makes us feel better." Ricky's grip tightened. "Tomorrow let's go and see your mom and dad. I insist." He glanced at Grace.

"Yeah, why don't we." Grace agreed on cue. "We don't know much about your family so this will be a good learning experience."

"I know when I am defeated." Penelope sighed. "I was going to go there alone tomorrow morning while you two had breakfast but if you want, you two can come." She played with her fork. "It'll be the first time since moving to Quantico that I will be visiting them. Between work and... everything else, I never had time to come."

Grace put a hand on Penelope's shoulder. "It's alright Mom. I'm sure they understand. We'll all go there tomorrow. No matter how early you want to."

A genuine smile spread across Penelope's face. "Thanks. I really do appreciate this. Now," She forced her own sadness back down. "let's finish up so we can walk the bridge. And after how about a rest period before China Town tonight?"

Ricky stabbed another piece of his fish. "Sounds good Mom."

/

Grace stood on the edge of the rails. Her head was thrown back to allow the wind to blow through her hair.

"Careful Grace. You don't want to fall over the edge." Her mother place a protective arm in front of her.

"Don't worry Mom. I'll be alright. But oh, does this ever feel good. The view, the air, the smell of the ocean. Oh god this is awesome. Is it not Ricky?"

"The view is pretty awesome." He held onto the rails and breathed in the salt air. "I can't believe they allow people to walk out here. Did you ever spend any time out here growing up?"

"I spent every Saturday night out here. Though I would go right out into the middle of the bridge. Coming out here gave me time to think without my step-brothers hounding me. With six people in one house it got a little crazy at times."

"Six people?" Grace looked over, shocked. "You had four brothers?"

"Yup." Penelope wrapped an arm around Grace and drew her in close. "So feel lucky that you only have Ricky to contend with." She kissed her head before looking at her son. "And don't get me wrong. I wouldn't have had anyone else for a son." Penelope used her other arm to draw Ricky to her side. "Both of you mean the world to me. Don't you ever forget it. And," She hugged onto them a little tighter. "I will try my very best not to leave you two until the right time will come."

/

That evening Grace and Penelope browsed a shop in China Town while Ricky went off on his own to find something for Kat. It had taken him most of dinner to convince his mom that he would be safe. Penelope was still a bit cautious about letting either of her babies from her side but in the end understood that she would never be able to hold too tightly onto them.

"Mom," Grace picked up a little trinket. "why don't you ever date?"

Penelope put down a stuffed animal she was eying for Bridget. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Aunt Em married Greg and Uncle Hotch dated that Beth chick for a while, right? Why don't you get back into the game, you know, see what is out there?"

"Hun," Penelope stifled a laugh. "trust me when I say I had my fair share of boyfriends and flings. And once your father and I... connected on a different level, I knew there would be no man on earth that could match him. Plus," she smiled a mischievous grin. "with you two and work I never had time to even take a nice long bath let alone date."

"Was Dad really that great?" A slight blush came over Grace.

"Oh yeah. He was..." Penelope bit her lip. "amazing. One of a kind. I always had feelings for your father; it took me a long time to realize those feelings and even longer to act on them. It was after our first kiss I knew it for sure. Oh the sparks flew, electricity flowed through us, and the stars lit up.  
We always were in sync, always knew what the other one wanted, and we always were there for each other first. Even," She looked over a necklace. "when we were dating other people."

"But is there really such a thing as soul mates?" Grace asked.

"I think so. I think there are people out there meant for one another, and until they are with that one person they are half empty. With your father I felt like whole person. And," Penelope sighed. "without him I am not. It is like with your Uncle Aaron. He tried dating and Beth was an amazing woman. But in the end he realized that Haley was that one person for him."

"Who do you think is my soul mate?"

Penelope shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. You're young and have to explore a bit more before you decide on who you want to be and who you are. When you know who you are and when you are ready to settle down, your soul mate will come to you. Until then, don't worry Sweetie." She picked up a box of tea. "Oh! I am soo getting this for Aunt Em."

/

Ricky looked over the trinkets before him. Picking out something for Kat now that she was his girlfriend was harder. Before dating her he could get her anything that even whispered her name. But now... now it had to be perfect.

"Looking for a gift for your girl?"

He looked up to see the clerk. "Yeah, how did you know?"

"All men who are looking for something just right for a girl get this real pensive look." She came out from behind the counter. "What does your girl like? Does she like shiny things? Or would she like some incense? The latter is supposed to be relaxing or stimulating; depending on what you want and what you buy."

"I need something that says 'I love you and miss you' but at the same time will not cause her dad to kill me. He's kinda my adopted Uncle, complicated story, and he is very close to me. So it would be easy for him to... maim me if he felt like I was... um..."

"Banging his little girl? But you aren't." The clerk went behind the counter again and dug around. "Here, this will make her heart melt." She brought out a necklace with a glass vial, filled with pink petals. "This little capsule is filled with Chinese cherry blossoms. It's pretty, nice, and will preserve your life." She chuckled at the last bit.

Ricky took it and looked it over. "It does look nice. Will the petals ever go bad?"

"Nope. It's air locked so unless it cracks the petals will remain preserved. Hopefully like your feelings for her. Should I ring you up?"

"Alright." Ricky took out his wallet and paid for the item. "Thanks for your help Miss..." He looked for a name tag but found none.

"Garcia."

Ricky balked at the name. "Did you say Garcia?"

"Yep. Jasmine Garcia." She cocked her head to the side. "Why do you ask?"

"My... my mom's last name is Garcia and she's from here. Do you know if you have an Aunt named Penelope?" Ricky held his breath.

Jasmine's eyes lit up. "My dad has talked about someone named Penelope. Says that she was his step sister long ago but disappeared shortly after my Grandma and Grandpa died. Is that your mom?"

"Yes!" His eyes lit up with excitement and joy.

"You're kidding me!" Jasmine shouted. "Here," She took a piece of paper and wrote down her number. "give me a call. I have tomorrow and the next day off. We should get our parents together. I think my dad would love to see his step sister again. And I bet your mom is dying to see one of her brothers."

"Maybe." Ricky shrugged. "She doesn't really talk about her family much. But, I will call you. It's nice to meet an actual relative from my mom's family."

"Ricky!" He turned to see his mom and sister. "There you are boy. I was worried about you." She put down her many bags and hugged her son.

"Hi Mom." Ricky pushed himself out of Penelope's arms. "Guess who this young lady is?"

Penelope looked at the girl behind the counter and cocked her head. "You look familiar."

"She should Mom. Her last name is Garcia!" Ricky said with excitement.

She crossed her arms. "Is that so. Tell me, who is your father?"

Jasmine coward under the gaze of Ricky's mom. "He is Jose Garcia. And I'm Jasmine Garcia. I mean no harm Mam..."

"None taken." Penelope grinned. "Jose was the only brother of mine I actually liked. For a moment I thought you were Frank's spawn."

"Nope." Jasmine shook her head. "My dad disowned him years ago after he tried to take me away because my dad refused to be a Catholic." She began to beam. "My dad's been looking for you for years now. Says he misses you. Tell you what, Ricky has my number, call me tomorrow and maybe we could have you over for dinner. No, wait." Jasmine brought a finger to her lips and thought. "We are having my other aunt over tomorrow. Mom's sister... I'll talk to my mom about two nights from now. How does that sound?"

"If it is alright with your mom I would love to come over for dinner. I've missed Jose." Penelope said wistfully. "It's been too long since..."

"I understand. Don't worry. Call me tomorrow and we'll work something out."


	46. San Francisco 2

_Thanks for the awesome reviews! As usual I do not own Criminal Minds but I can write. Or at least that is what I keep telling myself, lol._

Penelope stood in front of the polished stones. "It's been soo long Mom, Dad." She released her grip on her children's hands, took the bouquet from Grace, and knelt down, placing the bright yellow roses in front of a grave stone.  
"It's me. Your little girl. I know it's been long but... Oh," She sighed. "I have no excuse for the first years. I didn't want to come. I didn't want to acknowledge your deaths." Penelope placed a hand on her mother's stone. "You protected me against everything, even my biological father. But I couldn't even visit your grave once. But does that even matter? All that is under here are bones... What matters," She ran the hand over the top of the grave. "is that not a day passes that I do not miss you."

Penelope motioned to Grace and Ricky to kneel beside her. "Mom, meet your grandchildren: Richard Derek and Grace Isabella Morgan. They don't know much about you and Dad. But that will change. When we get home I'll bust out my home movies and will show them..." She bit her lip and blinked back the tears.

Ricky placed one hand on Penelope's shoulder and another on the grave beside her hand. "Hi Grandma. From what my mom has told me about you, you were a really brave woman. I know where our mom got it from. It's nice to finally meet you and Grandpa." He looked over to Grace for her to do something.

Awkwardly, Grace put her hand on the writing and traced it. "Hi Grandma." Her hand flinched at the cold feeling but she kept it on the stone. "It's strange touching a grave other than my dad's. He died too. But you probably already know that and are with him. If so let him know I love him despite not knowing who he really was."

"Mom," Penelope leaned back. The tears glistened the corners of her eyes and threatened to fall. "I hope your proud of me. I've done everything I could to make these two into caring, brave, and wonderful people. And it has worked. Grace wants to join the BAU to help save people.  
I know you were against violence and would be appalled at my job and Grace's ambitions but my team does a lot of good and we save a lot of people from killers. Grace wants to do the same. She is also growing into a beautiful young lady though she doesn't fully realize it." She glanced at her daughter and smiled. "She has a smile that could capture any heart. A smile like your had Mom."

Penelope struggled up and moved to the second grave. "Hi Dad." She knelt down. "I would have brought you roses too but I know you wouldn't have liked it. It would have been too... feminine of a gesture. But it doesn't mean I don't miss you. Here," She dug in her purse and pulled out a picture.  
"I brought you this though. A picture of my family. The man in the corner is David. You would have liked him. He helped me immensely when I was pregnant with these two, and for a while after too. You would love your Grandson. He is smart, handsome, brilliant, and he wants to be a doctor so he can help people. How awesome is that?" Penelope placed the photo in front of the grave. "I miss you Daddy. You treated me as your own flesh and blood though I never was."

She ran a hand over the name. "Robert Hernandez Garcia. He was always proud of his Spanish heritage. And though I am not blood related to him but I still value it." Penelope giggled. "I tried to learn Spanish once but failed. According to your dad I insulted someone's mother."

"Didn't Grandpa speak Spanish?"

"Yeah Grace. He did. But it never caught on with me. I was always trying to be myself and sadly I didn't embrace the culture when I could have." She wrapped her arms around the pair. "But if you want, when we get back, I'll get your Aunt Em to teach you. She knows soo many languages from her childhood."

"I would like that Mom." Grace nestled into her mom's shoulder. She looked at her grandmother's stone and noticed something. "Lillian Isabella Garcia. My middle name is her's?"

"Yes it is Pumpkin. I thought it would be a fitting tribute. Don't you think?"

Grace smiled. Feeling a thin connection between her and the woman she had never met. "Yeah. I do. Could you tell me more about her someday?"

"Of course." Penelope kissed the top of her forehead. "Now, if you don't mind, I want some time alone here." She dug into her purse and pulled out some bills. "Here, go grab something to eat at the cafe down the street. I'll join you in a little while. Just stick together, no splitting up."

She waited until her kids were out of earshot before letting the tears she had held fall. "Mom. You did soo much for me... I'm a horrible daughter to not visit you. I could have. I had the chances. The team has worked plenty of cases in San Francisco in which I could have tagged along. But I chose not to." Once again she reached out and caressed her mother's stone.  
"After you died I fell apart. I didn't know what to do or where to go. I did some things you would not have approved of and hopefully you are not too mad at me. I was floating until the FBI picked me up. Mom, you would love my team. We are like a very unique family. They have helped kept me going when all I wanted to do was give up.  
When Derek died I just wanted to lay down and stop breathing. Everything hurt. But they helped me make me realize I had to go one, for my kids and for them. I felt the strength you must have had when you left my biological father. The strength to do anything for your family."

More tears fell down from her hazel eyes. "Part of me wanted you there Mom. There when Derek was murdered, there when they kids were borne, there every time I needed my mother... I heard your voice telling me again and again that everything happens for a reason. But it wasn't enough. I was selfish and wanted more. I wanted you to actually be there."

Her hand gripped the cold stone. "I'm not sure when I'll be back. My job and the kids take up all my time... I know that is a piss poor excuse. But it is true. And this I think will be our last big family trip before the kids go off and begin their own lives." She leaned forward and kissed the gravestone before moving to her dad's grave.

"Daddy... It's me. Your golden girl. Hey, I'm not sure if you can see but I am all grown up now." She chuckled a little. "I even have a few grey hairs and quite a few wrinkles. More than I care to admit."  
She sighed heavily. "I don't think I ever really thanked you for taking in my Mom and giving me a family. You did soo much for me despite not being my real father." She tenderly ran a finger over the words. "I think you were her soul mate. If not you were pretty close. If I had another boy I would have named him after you. But sadly Richard will be my only little man. As I said you would love him and the tender soul he is turning out to be."

She drew her hand back. "I miss you too. You were the one who taught me how to ride my bike, how to swim... you did all those father-daughter things with me. I now look back on those memories now and try to cherish as much as I can. You taught me that life should be full of colour and vibrancy. And I'm sorry I didn't embrace your culture like you wanted me to. I try to every now and then but I think it's best if I don't." She grinned. "Last time I tried I insulted someone's mother. I think. You would have laughed soo hard at my attempt." Her face took on a serious look. "Daddy. I wish you could be here. Please forgive me for my absence. I hope both you and Mom can overlook it. I loved you both soo much."

She plucked one rose from the bouquet she left on her mother's grave and tenderly placed it next to the photo. "Not a day goes by that I don't miss the both of you." Penelope leaned forward and kissed the stone. She closed her eyes and recalled the many times she would kiss her Dad's cheek before dashing out to school. He had refused to let her out the door without her good morning kiss and hug. It had been the last thing she did with her dad before... before the accident.

Penelope stayed there for a few moments, enjoying the silence and peacefulness of the graveyard before getting up. "I'm going to talk more about you two. Promise. I will make sure they know about you two and my family. And I will never forget where I came from or what you taught me." She dried her tears and took one more look at the graves before turning around and walking away. She had her kids to meet up with and a whole day planned.

/

Penelope pulled the van up to an older blue Victorian house. "This kids, is where I grew up. Come on and lets go inside." She began to unbuckle. "I can't wait to show you my room... I wonder if my name is still carved in the stairs..."

"Mom," Grace cautiously looked at the house. "what if the owners don't want to let us in? I mean this is kinda like barging in. Why don't we call ahead and ask them if we can pick apart their house?"

"Oh my dear," Penelope turned around and grinned. "you underestimate your mom. I already did some research and called them. They are a family of four with two boys. Caroline and Donald Smith. And they are more than happy to show us around the home and to let me show you where I grew up."

Ricky unbuckled. "Alright. Let me guess, growing up it was painted with funky colours like our house is?" He slipped out of the van and was closely followed by his sister. "I can just imagine the inside..."

"Yeah, it was pretty odd. Remember, my parents were new age hippies and my dad was Spanish. It made for very interesting decor." She walked across the street with her kids. "I see they repainted the outside. It used to be bright yellow with green trim. And the fence used to be covered in red roses." She ran a hand along the smooth bare wood. "But it is their house, they can do what they want with it I guess."  
She opened the gate and walked in. "Whoever is last, make sure it is closed."

Penelope paused for a moment before ringing the doorbell. She looked to the side where the porch swing used to be. In it's place was a modern lounge chair and a table. "It has changed soo much..."

"I know. But like you said it is their house Mom. Now," Ricky leaned forward and pressed the doorbell. "let's go inside. You owe us a tour of the house."

Caroline opened the door. "You must be Penelope Garcia? And these two are your children? Robert and Grace?"

"Yeah I'm Penelope, and this is Grace and my son's name is actually Richard. Ricky for short." Penelope shook the hand of the lady in front of her. "I am pleased to finally meet you in person."

"Likewise. Our older neighbours have told us soo much about you and your family. You were quite the characters from what I hear." Caroline leaned against the door. "I admired your mother's... decorating. It certainly was unique."

"Just like my Mom was. Could we see the house?" Penelope gestured to the inside. So far she didn't like the woman very much. "You said it would be alright in the email."

"Oh of course." Caroline moved aside. "Come on in. You will see that we made a few... changes."

Penelope stepped inside and looked around. The funky wall paper had been taken off and replaced with white paint. The creaky cherry wood floors were now maple laminate. "No kidding. It doesn't look like a Spanish hippie's home anymore." She looked longingly at the doorway which her father's family crest used to rest. "You really modernized the house. A lot."

"I know. We kept a bit of the old charm. If you come this way into the dining room." Caroline led them to the room. "We kept the log walls here. There was just something soo charming about them. It seemed like a waste to cover them up."

She ran a hand over the old logs. "I know what you mean." Her heart soared at the feeling of the familiar cracks and knobs in the wood. "We had many family dinners in here. Please tell me you use this room a lot?"

"Of course I do." Caroline beamed. "We use it every night. It's so homey and rustic; this room is prefect for family bonding." She pointed to a spot on the corner. "I think you would like to see this. We kept it around for the history."

"Did you?" Penelope went to the corner and smiled. "This is where Mom would measure us. And before she moved in Dad would measure my brothers here." Her fingers explored the marks. "It was a big deal every spring. Come here kids. See this."

Ricky and Grace came over. "Wow, back then you were short."

Penelope poked Ricky. "Still am compared to you. You're what? Six feet now?"

"I have an idea!" Caroline clapped her hands together. "Let's measure the kids for old times sake. What do you say Penelope? Wouldn't it be grand to find out their height?"

Penelope beamed. She was starting to warm up to this odd woman. "Sure! Get out a carving knife or something and we'll measure my two weeds!"

The other woman disappeared into the kitchen and brought back a paring knife. "It's one of my good knives but there are not many days when you can measure the height of a former owner's kids. My book club is going to love this story! Now, what is your name... oh right, Grace. Come here."

Grace eyed her mother for a second before doing the woman's bidding. She lined herself up against the wall and stood straight. "I know my height. Five feet four inches. But whatever. This seems cool." She tried not to flinch as she felt the knife carving into the wall behind her. "Are you done?"

"Yes. Now it is your turn Ricky. Come here boy and wait while I grab a foot stool. I'll need it to reach the top of your head." She disappeared into the kitchen again and soon appeared with a stool and measuring tape. "While I was in there I figured that this might be useful. Now boy stand where your sister was and raise your head a little. And don't slouch. It is bad for your back."

Ricky rolled his eyes but did as the woman said. "You are one tall boy. I wish my sons were as tall as you but sadly they inherited my height." Caroline carved the spot right above Ricky's head. "I think you are the tallest one on this wall." She stepped down. "Now move aside while your mom and I measure you and your sister.

Penelope took the measuring tape and took her son's height. "Six feet three inches. You got your father's height, that's for sure." She handed the tape back to Caroline. "Why don't you measure Grace's mark?"

"Sure." Caroline took the tape and measured Grace's mark. "Five feet five inches. You must have grown since last measured. Oh look here, it says you were as tall as your mom when she was seventeen. How about that."

Grace leaned in. "Wow Mom. I'm taller than you were!" She beamed. "You're the shortest one in the family now." She patted her mom on the back. "Now, can we see your room? You must have had a really funky bedroom."

"Of course. Follow me kids and I will show you." Penelope led the small group to the attic. "This, is where I slept."

Ricky cocked a brow. "This was your room? The attic? Did your family hate you or something?"

Penelope put her hands on her hips and grinned. "It was my choice. Up here I had total and utter privacy. And that window there had a beautiful view of the ocean." She walked up and opened the dusty curtains. "Unfortunately it is now blocked by that sky scraper..." She turned around. "When did the city build it Caroline?"

"Oh about fifteen or so years ago. The owners back then were furious with the city for blocking their view but progress needs to happen. Besides, on the back porch still has a decent view."

"Hmmm..." Penelope began pacing the room. "I wonder if it is still here." She listened carefully to the sound her feet made. "It should be around here somewhere... Ah!" Penelope knelt down and gently pried a board loose. "Here." She pulled out a small box and dusted it off. "I forgot this when I left. It is filled with my most prized possessions." She opened it and pulled out photos, old films, coins, and other mementos. "This is the token I got at the fair on my first date. And this photo is the only picture I have of my biological father. Oh, and over here is my first dollar made from hacking. I got it when I was fifteen."  
Penelope looked at Caroline. "Is it alright if I take this home?"

"Of course. It is yours. Just replace that floorboard please."

"Sure." Penelope moved the board back into place. "It was always loose hence why I hid my box here. Living in a house with soo many people I wanted some things to be private and personal. This was mine and this space was my own." She tucked the box under her arm. "Now, I want to check something under the stairs."

"Come this way." Caroline led them downstairs and to the small room underneath the staircase. "Not sure what you are looking for but go ahead. She opened the door and Penelope went inside.

"Oh my god, it is still here. Come in Grace, Ricky. Let me show you." She fingered the warn carving. "I carved this into the wall when I was six. My parents and brothers never found out."

Grace ran her hand over it. "Penny Garcia's house." She looked at her mom. "You're a hypocrite. When I wrote on the walls when I was six you punished me. Like mother like daughter I guess."

"Dear," Penelope wrapped an arm around Grace. "you should have done like I did and wrote it in a place no one would find out. I can not believe that no one painted this over... I did this the day I found out my dad wasn't my birth father. I was mad, upset, and confused. And wanted to make my mark on the house."

"Well you did it," Ricky grinned. "you literally made your mark on the house."

Caroline stuck her head into the small space. "If you three wish, would you like to see the rest of the house?"

/

Penelope spent an hour in the hotel room going over her box. Pulling out the trinkets and various items. Recalling and telling her children how each thing made it into her box.

"This watch belonged to my grandfather. He used to be a train director." She pulled out the gold watch that was connected to a chain. "Ricky. I think he would have wanted you to have it. You are after all his only male descendant." She put the watch in Ricky's waiting hand. "Just take really good care of it. Alright? And now you have no excuse to be late for anything. Remember, you may be a Morgan by name but you are also a Doyle by blood." She reached into the box and brought out a golden claddagh ring.

"My mother was of Irish decent. Her mother's mother brought this ring over from Ireland. I guess it is a family heirloom as well. Here Grace," She slid it on her finger. "you can have it but there are some things to remember with this ring. When your heart is free wear it on your right ring finger with the heart pointing out. When you are in a relationship like you are now you wear it on your right ring finger with the heart pointing inside. And if you get engaged wear it on your left ring finger with the heart pointing out. When you are married, wear it with the heart pointing in. I want you to have this."

Grace and Ricky both looked at their items. It was a part of their mother's history they never knew. A part which was new and exotic to them.

"Mom," Grace played with her new ring. "how did your mom and dad meet? I'm not talking about your birth father but Mr. Garcia."

Penelope sighed and leaned against the headboard. "My mom was in a very abusive relationship when she became pregnant. My father would beat her both physically and mentally. But with her living soo far away from her parents with no way to go home... my mom had nowhere to go to escape my father. One day she found out she was pregnant and it was then that she found the strength to leave her partner. She knew my father would abuse her child in the same manner she was abused. Maybe he would have subjected me to worse abuse. I will never know, thank god.  
Once she left my mom didn't have anywhere to go. No one to turn to. So she lived on the street for a week going from shelter to shelter until she managed to find a job as a nanny for a man with four boys. He needed someone reliable and trustworthy to look after his three sons and my mom needed a roof over her head. Before I was borne they fell in love and married. My mom didn't want me connected to my birth father in any way so she gave me my dad's last name.  
I never knew much about my birth father until I started hacking. I looked into him and found out the type of man he was. And since then never felt any need for contact with him." Penelope shrugged her shoulders. "That is why I never talk about him. He doesn't deserve to be talked about. If anyone deserves to be discussed it is the man who raised me as his own."

"Wow..." Grace leaned back on her and Ricky's bed. "you were not kidding when you said Grandma was a strong woman. It must have taken a lot of courage to leave the relationship. I've studied cases of battered wife syndrome and spousal abuse."

Penelope smiled slightly. "She was incredibly strong. When you are put in a situation like she was... you have to be strong or else you won't make it out. When I was pregnant with you two I drew on her example, or at least tried to." She closed the box.  
"Enough of this for now. We have to get ready for dinner at Bob and Patty's. Patty is a stickler for time. When you say you will be there are a certain time you better be there. Now, Grace I know you don't like dresses but please do look at least half decent tonight. Please?"

/

She knocked on the door and waited outside. This was indeed a much nicer house than the one she remembered them being in. Before they were in a shack in the middle of the city. Bob's ice cream stand didn't make that much money but he loved what he did. His philosophy was why spend your days doing something you hate for money if you can get by doing something you love and skillfully invest what money you have. His investments must have paid off though.

The door flung open to reveal a plump little woman. "Penelope!" She barely had time to brace herself before the woman wrapped her arms around. "It is soo nice to see you." Patty released her grip. "Come on in you three. I am cooking spread that you will love." She ushered the group in and looked over the kids.

"Bobby wasn't kidding. You have two very fine children." She felt Ricky's ribs. "But this one is too thin. He needs to eat more. Have yourself an extra helping of duck tonight boy. It will stick right to those ribs of yours." She turned her attention to Grace. "And you my dear are such a pretty girl. Tell me, do you like to knit like your Ma?"

Grace shook her head. "No. I actually like playing football for my high school team." She beamed with pride. "I'm the first female player and so far I've scored the second most points in the season. Coach says I am one of the best players he has."

"Well," The older woman grinned. "whatever makes you happy I guess. Now, come into the living room. Bobby got home an hour ago and has been waiting for you." She bustled the small group into the living room. "Look Deary, look what appeared on our doorstep."

Bob put down his pipe. "Told ya they were coming." He gestured to the group. "Come Penelope, sit down with your offspring and regale us with what you've been doing with yourself since you dropped off the face of this earth."


	47. Jose

_Penelope meets her brother for the first time in years. How will it go down? And how will she like her brother's family? Read and find out. ;)  
Thanks again for the reviews. It is nice to know people are reading this. Really nice.  
Anyways I do not own Criminal Minds. If I did the next ep would be on Wednesday and not on the 29th. _

Penelope rang the doorbell, stood back, and waited. "This is the first time I'll see Jose since our parents died..." She nervously shifted her feet and bit down on her cheek. "I wonder what he'll say... I mean, it wasn't like I wanted to break all contact it was just... just that see him and everyone else was just too much. And then time passed and I thought why would they want to hear from me after all these years" She ran a hand through her hair. "He's going to ha-."

Grace reached out and took her mother's hand. "Momma, everything is going to be alright. If he didn't want to see you he would have told Jasmine. Remember. When you called yesterday she said it was alright and that Jose would be happy to see you."

"Yeah," Ricky took Penelope's other hand. "it will be alright. And who knows this might even be fun."

"I know, I know." She bit her lip. "I wonder what his wife is like..."

Suddenly the door opened and a woman of Asian decent greeted them. "Hi. You must be Penelope." Penelope extended a hand for a greeting but instead was enveloped in a hug. "I am soo happy to finally meet Jose's sister." The woman drew herself back and looked at the kids.  
"And this must be Richard and Grace." She briefly hugged each of the children. "My name is Vivian. Vivi for short."

"Hi... Vivi. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Here, come inside out of the heat." Vivi ushered the small group into the home. "I forgot to tell Jasmine to ask you about allergies. Are any of you allergic to peanuts?" She motioned to the living room which was decorated with Chinese art and Spanish trinkets.

"No. We are all fine with peanuts." Penelope sat down on the sofa. Grace and Ricky took their places on either side of her. "This is an interesting theme you have here."

"I wanted to know because a few of the dishes I'm cooking are made with nuts." Vivi took a seat by the large stone fireplace. "And thanks. Jose and I wanted to integrate our different cultural backgrounds throughout the house. We felt that it was important for Jasmine to know and value her cultural background."

Penelope glanced around. "Where is Jasmine by the way? I was hoping she would be here."

"Oh," Vivi waved a dismissive hand, "she'll be here soon. Her boss called her in this afternoon to cover a few hours. I told her to refuse but she's a hard worker like her father and dedicated like myself. With that combination she can never say no. She should be home soon; Jose just went to go pick her up right before you three came. Grace, Richard, do either of you have jobs?"

"Please call me Ricky, Aunt Vivi. We don't. Mom feels that our energy is better spent on our grades. And besides, between studying for med school and the honour roll I have no time for a job."

"And," Grace piped up. "I have football and an after school psychology club. We may not have jobs now but both Ricky and I are working towards what our future careers will be."

Vivi leaned back in her chair. "Is that so. And what do you two want to be?"

Ricky smiled. "I want to be a doctor, more specifically a pediatrician. I see my mom and her... her BAU family helping people on a daily basis and I want to do something to help people too. After high school I will be taking the MCAT and hopefully will be getting into Yale's medical school."

"Yale," Vivi nodded in approval. "that is ambitious Ricky. How about you Grace?"

Grace puffed out her chest. "I want to ultimately get into the BAU but first, according to Mom and Uncle Aaron, I need to get a degree related to the field. So I am going to hopefully also go to Yale for a degree in psychology."

"Hmm. You both want to go to Yale. Impressive." Vivi turned her attention to Penelope. "You have two very smart children. How do you intend to afford this? I've looked at Yale for Jasmine but the tuition is far more than Jose and I can afford. But then again she wants to go to Cal Tech."

"The BAU has scholarships for children of FBI agents and for children of agents who lost their lives in the line of duty. They qualify for both. Plus I've been putting money away for them since they were borne." She hugged her kids. "I knew these two would be going places."  
She left out the part in which Spencer would snag them more scholarships if needed. He would refuse to let any finances be a barrier to any of the BAU kids. He figured that if the FBI refused to pay its agents enough money for their children's education he would step up and close the gap.  
"They will go anywhere they want. I've made sure of it."

"That is good. Congratulations." A beeper went off in the kitchen. "Oh, that must be the gong bao chicken. I need to tend to it."

"Let us help you." Penelope began to get up.

"No, you are our guests. I have this covered. But if you want you three can come and keep me company while I cook."

/

"Here," Vivi took a small spoonful of chicken rice and handed it to Penelope. "taste this. It is to die for."

Penelope leaned forward and took the spoon in her mouth. "Oh my. This is amazing." She pulled the utensil out. "I've had tons of Chinese food but none of it was ever this good!"

"Oh that's probably because it was cooked to fit Western tastes." Vivi turned back to the oven. "This is all traditional. Well, as traditional as one can get outside of China. My mom was a Chinese immigrant and taught me the traditional way of cooking." She grinned when she heard the front door open. "That must be Jose and Jasmine. We're in here you two!"

Jasmine sauntered into the kitchen. "Hi you three." She popped a piece of celery into her mouth. "Sorry about not being here when you came. I hope my mom didn't scare you too much."

"Jasmine Penelope Garcia." Vivi playfully glared at her daughter. "Behave."

"Yes Mommy dearest." Jasmine mock bowed. "Anything you want. So, what's for dinner?" She took a seat by Grace.

Vivi leaned against the counter. "Chicken friend rice, Peking duck, sticky buns, and gong bo chicken. How does that sound?"

"Great." Jasmine took out her ponytail and let her hair fall. "Dad will be down in a minute. He just went upstairs to change. My new coworker spilled coffee all down his shirt. You should have seen the look on Kellie's face when she realized who she spilled coffee on." She giggled. "Apparently my dad is 'freakin' hot'. Or at least that is what the women at work say."

"What do they say?" Jose walked in and wrapped his arm around Vivi.

"Oh nothing. Just that you are hot." Jasmine shrugged. "I don't see it though."

"I do." Vivi leaned into her husband's embrace and kissed him. "You are still one hot tamale sweetheart."

"Eww. Gross. Cut it out, we have company." Jasmine made a face. "I doubt they want to see you getting all gross and cuddly like that." She motioned to Penelope and her cousins.

"Hi Penelope." Jose released Vivi and walked over to the stools. "Thank you for coming tonight."

Penelope got up from her seat. "Likewise Jose. I was hoping that I might have seen you... but... Listen, I am soo sorry for everything." Tears welled up but she blinked them back. "I am soo, soo very sorry."

"No need to be sorry Lamb." Jose drew her into a hug. "It is just nice to finally see you again. After you disappeared I became soo worried. I thought you might have been hurt or worse. But, once I could track your moves I became less worried. And when the FBI hired you... I realized you were finally safe."

"Wait," Penelope wiggled out of Jose's arms. "how did you know I was employed by the FBI? Were you spying on me or something?" She looked hard to Jose and tried to profile him.

He placed a tender hand on her shoulder. "I wasn't spying on you per say. But remember who taught you your computer skills? I had to make sure you were alright. That's what big brothers do. I promised Mom and Dad that I would keep you safe and it was my way of fulfilling that promise."

"I take it you stopped after I was hired on by the FBI." Penelope smirked.

"Yes. I figured with you not being underground anymore you would be safe. Why? What happened?"

"Well," Penelope leaned against the counter. "I was shot, kidnapped, almost died in childbirth, stabbed, hunted by a crazy deranged stalker who targeted the BAU, and lost the only man I loved. I don't call that safe brother." She lifted her shirt to show Jose the many scars.

"You... you were hurt?" He ran a finger over each of the scars. "I thought you would be safe... that is why I pointed them in your direction..."

"Jose, you were the one that sold me out?" Penelope felt her temper beginning to flare up. "You're the reason I was hunted down like an animal?!"

"Mom," Ricky placed a hand on her's. "think, if you were not found you would still be underground. You would have never met Dad or anyone else. And if Grace disappeared I would do anything to help her out too."

Her rage melted away with her son's touch. "Was anyone else looking out for me? Ferdinand? Philip?"

"No." He shook his head. "I was the only one. They all gave up on you. But I knew you were stronger than they realized. You would make it through." Jose placed a hand on her cheek. "I knew you would do great things if only given the chance."

"Hey you two." Vivi took a dish from the oven. "Dinner is ready. Jasmine, can you help set the table?"

"Sure." She hopped off the stool.

"Grace, Ricky," Penelope turned to her kids. "you can go and help your cousin."

/

The six people sat at the round table. A feast had been spread out before them.

Grace reached out with her chop sticks and took a sticky bun. "It is a real good thing Uncle Spencer isn't here Mom." She dumped the bun on her plate and made her way to the Peking duck.

"Who is Spencer," Jasmine took a spoonful of gong bao chicken. "was he one of your dad's brothers?"

"No." Grace filled her glass with juice. "He is one of mom's coworkers. We spend soo much time together that we sort of identify as a family. Honestly the only reason I see Ricky more than I see everyone else is that we live in the same house.  
Anyways, Uncle Spencer is horrible at using chop sticks. He can tell you who came up with the idea of them and why but watching him trying to eat with them is hilarious."

"Her Grace. Remember one time when we went out for dinner and he ended up flinging a shrimp across the room?" Ricky burst out in laughter. "It landed in some old lady's tea. The looks on both her and Uncle Spencer's faces were priceless!"

"Sounds like an interesting man." Jose took a bite of duck. "So Grace, you want to be a profiler? What exactly does that entail?"

Grace quickly swallowed her rice. "Well, it means understanding human behaviour and identifying certain traits that helps us determine the sex, personality, and behaviour of a person. Like yourself for example. You decorate this house in a mix of Spanish and Chinese culture but not once do you see a mixture of the two aside from pictures of your family. It tells me though you accept your wife's cultural background you prefer to hold onto your own rather than fully embracing hers." Grace motioned to Jasmine.  
"But you gave your daughter a purely neutral name. It has no significance to either culture. It tells me that you also identify as an American. Which is common given that you are a what, third generation American. People who tend to identify more with the culture of their ancestors lean towards giving more culturally significant names to their offspring. Like your father. He identified more with Spanish culture, hence why you and your brothers tend to have names of Spanish origin. Do you want me to continue Uncle Jose?"

Jose's eyes glistened with amazement. "That was impressive." He turned to Penelope. "She is going to be one hell of a FBI agent. Good job Penny. Good job."

She balked at the name. "Thanks. But please don't call me Penny."

"Why not?" Jose put his chopsticks down. "I always called you Penny. Don't you like it anymore?"

"No, the man who orchestrated Derek's murder and Ricky's kidnapping called me that. Every time I hear that name I am reminded of that bastard and what he did." Penelope clenched her fists. "He took my love from me and tried to take away my son. I prefer not to be reminded of him, ever."

"Sorry Penelope..."

Jasmine's eyes shot up. "Ricky, you were kidnapped? That is soo cool! Tell me about it, please?"

"Jasmine." Vivi glared. "Don't ask impolite questions at the dinner table. Sorry Ricky. Sometimes my daughter says and asks things without thinking..."

"No, It's alright Aunt Vivi. Yes, I was kidnapped but it was far from cool. The deranged ex-husband of my Aunt Alex and a man named Kevin Lynch kidnapped me for revenge against me and my mom. Thankfully my Mom and the BAU saved me before... before he killed me." He ran a finger over the scar on his cheek. "That is how I got this, and the scars on my arm."

Jasmine leaned in and looked. "Wow... were you scared?"

"Terrified." Ricky began to shake slightly at the memory. "But I knew that if anyone could save me it would be my mom and the team. That's what kept my hopes up."

Grace put a hand on Ricky's knee to calm him. "Mom's team is the best of their kind in the world. There are people that do not put a lot of stock in their methods but after seeing it first hand I can tell you that it is a good method for finding criminals."

An uncomfortable silence fell on the table. No one knew quite what to say after such a heavy subject had been breached.

Penelope swallowed and began an attempt. "So, Jasmine's middle name is Penelope?"

"Yes." Jose played with the food on his plate. "I named her in honour of my favourite sister. Figured you would like that." He smiled weakly. "Am I right?"

"Yeppers." Penelope beamed. "It is an honour to share a name with such a bright child. If I had another son I would have named him after you and Dad but," She looked at her children. "I couldn't imagine being with anyone else but their dad. So these are the only ones for me. Plus, why mess with perfection."

"It's alright." He took a sip of the wine. "I'm just happy at the chance to meet my niece and nephew. You did a really wonderful job as a single parent. But, if anyone could have done it I know it would have been you Penelope. You always had a way with children."

"Thank you Jose."

"Hey," Jasmine swallowed her food. "why don't we bust out some of those old movies after dinner Dad? You know, the ones of Grandma and Grandpa?" Jasmine looked at Ricky and Grace. "Would you two like to see them? There are a couple ones of your mom being all goofy."

Ricky laughed. "Our mom is always goofy. But yeah, I would love to see them." He put his chopsticks down. "Can we Uncle Jose?"

"Of course."

/

Jose came down the stairs with the film projector, Jasmine following with rolls of film. "Here we are. I just need to set this up and then we can watch a couple." He sat it down on the end table. "I probably should transfer these to dvd but there is a charm to watching them this way."

"That's what our mom says." Grace shifted so she could have a better view. "She's showed us some old movies but none of her home movies. Always makes up an excuse."

Jasmine pulled down the screen. "Well, here is a chance. Can we watch the one of the picnic first Dad? That's my favourite!"

Penelope gasped. "You have that one? I looked forever for it in my collection but could never find it."

He set the film in the projector. "Yes. I got it before the bank sold the house. There are a few others in there. If you want to come by tomorrow we can pick through the collection. I would be glad to lend you a few if you would like."

"I would love that Jose. And I'll ship you a few from Quantico." She leaned back into the sofa. "I think we are all ready if you want to play it."

"Ready, set, go!" Jose pressed play and took a seat next to Vivi.

The screen lit up on the large family nestled on a blanket. "Grace, Ricky, there is my mom and dad. The person next to me is Jose. And on either side are Frank and Ferdinand. And the boy beside my mom is Philip."

Grace nestled into her mother's side. "Your mom and you look soo much alike. I never knew that..." Her nose crinkled. "But what are you wearing? Is that supposed to be a dress?"

"Our parents were hippies. You knew that Grace. If I remember correctly I am wearing a burlap dress with pink flowers sewn onto it." She wrapped an arm around Grace, drawing her closer. "That is why I learned to sew and knit. That way I could make my own colourful and slightly less tacky clothes. Oh!" She pointed to the screen. "Check out Jose's mop! Dad wanted his boys to have long hair and moustaches."

Ricky laughed. "No offense Uncle Jose. It looks like you have a porn stache going on. He kinda looks like some of the UnSubs you hunt Mom!"

Penelope covered her mouth with her spare hand. "Omg, he does! Thank god you shave now Jose or else the last time the team was here they might have suspected you!"

Jose arched a brow. "They were here? Were you here with them?"

"Oh no." Penelope shook her head. "I travel on the rare occasion with the team but never when they were headed here. If I did, I would have visited much sooner."

Penelope, Grace, and Ricky stayed at the Garcia house until one in the morning watching the old movies. One by one Jose fed the projector. Between movies Grace and Ricky both asked questions about the side of their mother's family they never knew. After the last film Jose sat back in the couch. "That's it." He sighed. "That is the sum of our family and our lives together."

"Makes it seem so insignificant." Penelope rubbed her eyes. "But it was soo much more than that. Jose, even though I never visited... it didn't mean that I did not miss everyone." She looked away. "It was just so hard after the accident. And seeing you four would have just brought up the feelings I didn't want to deal with.  
And then time passed and I was sure none of you wanted to see or hear from me. I figured you would be too angry at me abandoning you..."

Jose got up and walked over. He held Penelope's hands and stood her up. "Penelope. You are my little sister. There is nothing you could do that would make me hate you enough to turn you away. Sure, we were all mad that you took off but it was your way of coping with their deaths. Each one of us chose to deal with Mom and Dad's deaths in different ways. You ran, I dove into my work, Fred became a hardcore Catholic, Ferdinand turned to the bottle, and Philip moved to Spain.  
We coped the best way we could." He placed a hand under her chin and brought her eyes to his.  
"We will be a family. Always. Nothing will change that."

Penelope's eyes glistened with tears. "Thank you..." She nestled into his chest and deeply breathed in his scent. She may have had a family in the BAU but nothing could replace her brother. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." He gently rubbed her back. "One day we will visit you in Quantico. I promise. But until then we will be in contact. I swear I will not let you disappear again."


	48. San Francisco 3

_**Thank you, thank you, and thank you.** Seeing each and every review makes my heart skip a beat. Seriously, it does. Thank you all soo much! :D And here is the next chapter. I apologize if it jumps around a lot. I want to write down everything they do but I couldn't fit it all in. Inside my mind there is a little war waging. I'm not talking Pig War I am talking War War. And so far this is what has come from the front lines._  
_Anyways, I will stop rambling like a madwoman. As usual I do not own Criminal Minds. If I did I would give a piece of my mind to CBS about them backlogging the new eps._

Penelope woke on her own accord to the California sunshine seeping into the hotel room. She smiled and pulled off the covers of her bed; carefully she made her way into the bathroom to get herself ready for the day. Today was their last full day in San Francisco and she had a day full of fun planned.

First they would go for breakfast at the best breakfast joint in town, Dottie's, then they were going to tour Alcatraz, and after when the sun was high in the sky they were going to swim in the ocean. When they were done that Penelope would make a final trip to Jose's to sift through the collection of home movies while Jasmine showed Ricky and Grace some sights. And that night they would have dinner out with Jose and his family. He wouldn't tell her the place, only that she would love it.

Gleefully she put on her make-up and dressed in a light white dress with yellow flowers. In her hair she clipped in a white rose hair clip to finish off the outfit. Standing back she admired herself in the mirror. For someone who was pushing fifty five she looked damn good.

Smiling, she exited the washroom and quietly picked up her bag. It was only 8am, she would go for coffee and let her children sleep a little longer.

In the coffee shop she ordered her usual coffee. But instead of sitting inside at her normal table, she opted to sit outside on the patio and enjoy the morning summer air.  
She leaned back and smiled. So far this trip had been perfect which was more than she could have expected. Penelope sighed and sipped her coffee. Traveling with teenagers was such risky business.

The mingling of the city's sounds and smells brought back a flood of memories from her own past. Friends, family, school. One day her life had been nestled in California. Her classes at Cal Tech were going well, her family was growing with the addition of Philip's son, she finally felt like she was becoming an adult. And then, then it ended in a violent crash of metal and flesh.

Penelope was not made privy to the identity of the driver who killed her parents but whoever they were... she knew that forgiving them was beyond her capabilities. They had the choice to act smart or act like an idiot and they took the later.

She sighed and took a tentative sip of her coffee and savoured the flavour. Penelope joyfully licked the cream off of her upper lip. Going without while pregnant had been worth it but having her brew back permanently was wonderful. Since she stopped breastfeeding Penelope had a new found love and respect for her morning coffee, her afternoon coffee, and her evening coffee.

"Garcia?"

Her eyes snapped open at the familiar voice. In front of her was an older woman with shoulder length reddish brown hair, speckled with grey.  
"Is that you Elle? What are you doing here?"

"Thought I would stop by on my way to work for coffee and imagine my surprise when I saw you sitting here. Mind if I join you for a bit?" She motioned to the spare seat.

"Sure." Penelope sat up and moved her purse. "Go ahead."

"Thanks," Elle sat down and put her coffee on the table. "long time no see. So, what brings you here? Does the team have a case here or something? I've heard of a few bodies showing up with the same MO but didn't think it warranted the FBI"

"Not that I'm aware of." Penelope shook her head. "Aaron sort of forced me to take a vacation. So I took the rare chance and used it to come home with my kids. You know, show them where their mom grew up."

"You had children. Why am I not surprised." Elle nodded with approval. "You always came across as the mothering type. Lord knows you mothered the team enough. Cookies, candy, sweaters. By the way I still have the sweater you sewed me for that one Christmas." She took a large sip.

"Thanks." Penelope grinned. "It was my first attempt at knitting a design. I'm glad you loved it!"

Elle leaned forward and smirked. "I didn't say I loved it. Just that I have kept it. Kidding. I do love it. So Garcia, what are your spawn like? I bet if they are anything like you, they are very unique."

Penelope giggled. "Oh you have no idea. Much to my displeasure my daughter Grace is a total tomboy. She even plays on her high school football team and I have to admit that she's pretty good; just like her dad. She's also rash, risky, brave, and hot headed. My son Ricky, now he is more like me. A very sweet boy who has no problem expressing who he is. He likes to be close to those around him and always wants to impress people. Especially Spencer." She smiled. "He wants to be a doctor, an actual doctor, so he can help people. Isn't that cool?"

"Very. So," Elle's face became serious. She toyed with the lid on her mug. "I heard about Morgan... Sorry I couldn't come to the funeral... I thought about it but it felt like it would be too awkward of a situation. But I did hope that you all were alright..."

"Well," Penelope's grip tightened on her coffee. "everyone coped in their own ways I guess. Ultimately we all clung onto one another and drew our strength from our family. Without the strong bonds we had, I doubt the BAU would still be. We probably would have fallen apart. And this may seem a bit arrogant but I think my pregnancy helped."

"Babies can do wonderful things." Elle leaned back. "Remember when Hotch brought Jack in for the first time? He was so tiny. How old is he now?"

"He's going to be twenty-five in the fall. Can you believe it?" Penelope pouted. "It makes me feel soo old. God, why do kids have to grow up?"  
As if on cue Ricky and Grace appeared. "Speaking of which. Hey you two, over here." Penelope raised her hand and waved it rapidly. Causing her children to both notice her and give her glares of embarrassment.

"Mom... we would have seen you." Ricky smirked. "You didn't have to make yourself soo... noticeable."

Penelope tenderly held his arm and smiled. "Now, how much fun would that have been. I need to get in as much embarrassment time as I can before you and your sister grow up. Speaking of her, where is she? Wasn't she just with you?"

"Relax Mom." He took the seat next to her. "She went in to get the coffee. Grace will be right out." Ricky looked at the woman across from him. "Are you a friend of my mom's?"

Elle scrutinized the boy. "Sort of. Elle Greenaway." She extended her hand in a greeting while looking Ricky over. "You look familiar..." She pondered for a moment before it finally hit her. "Damn. You and Morgan finally hooked up. Now I know why your pregnancy was such a big deal. Good going Garcia."

"Here bro." Elle watched as a girl with lighter skin and Penelope's features handed the boy a coffee. "Two cream three sugars." She sat down on the other side of her mom and looked at the women with cautious eyes. "Hi."

Penelope gently nudged her daughter. "This is Elle Greenaway. An old coworker of mine."

"You must be Grace." Elle extended a greeting. "Your mom is a very unique person," She threw a cheeky smile at her old colleague. "totally unforgettable. And your father was a dependable, honest, and protective. I am sure he would have been very proud of you and your brother."  
Elle took time to look at the two teenagers. "You two are exactly what your mom described."

Grace gave a puzzled look. "Thank you... I guess."

"It's a good thing, relax." Elle looked down at her watch. "Shit. I have to go or else the chief will have my ass. How long are you three in town for?"

Penelope's smile faded. "This is our last day... Well, kinda. We head out tomorrow morning to go to Disneyland."

"Dammit. Why," Elle grabbed her bag. "don't you give me your number and give me a call tonight. I'll see if I can trade a shift, a few other cops owe me a favour, and if I can, I'll treat the three of you to coffee tomorrow morning." She pulled out a piece of paper and jotted down her number. "Here, I should be off around nine tonight. If I don't see you three, take care and say 'hi' to everyone for me!" Elle smiled one last time before turning around and briskly walking away.

Ricky arched a brow. "Mom, was that the crazy woman who shot the UnSub?"

"Yes she shot someone," Penelope sighed heavily. "but she wasn't crazy. Just broken. I am sure Uncle Spencer told you both about the Fisher King case, right?" Ricky and Grace nodded. "Well, when we disobeyed the UnSub and held a press conference he decided to punish us." Penelope clenched her teeth. "He did that by breaking into Elle's home and shooting her. If that wasn't enough that sick bastard put his finger inside of her wound and wrote 'Rules' on the wall in her blood." She watched as Ricky grimaced. "Yes, it was gross and disgusting, and extremely creepy.  
After the case she left for a while and I guess Elle forced herself to come back when she wasn't ready. And the last case with the rapist was too much for her to deal with." She looked in the directed Elle walked off. "She left after skipping her evaluation." Penelope turned her eyes onto her coffee. "She is why I have all the personal files for the BAU locked away in my computer. I never wanted anyone to get at them again. It's my way to protect the team."

Ricky leaned back. "Wow. I never knew. It must have been awful for her..." He adjusted his polo shirt. "Uncle Spencer left that part out..."

"Makes you think differently about her, huh?" Penelope sipped her coffee. "Remember, you two, there is more than one side to every story. Most of the people the BAU deals with were normal people until one event pushed them over the edge." She downed the last little bit of her drink. "Now, who is ready for breakfast? We have reservations in about fifteen minutes so we should get going soon."

"Can I finish my coffee?"

"Nope. You can drink and walk, Grace. When you go off to school you will be doing a lot of that." Penelope grabbed her purse. "I remember drowning my coffee many times while racing to class at Cal Tech. I think it the ability to multitask should be a prerequisite."

Ricky picked up his coffee and messenger bag. "If so, Uncle Spencer wouldn't have been admitted to any university."

"True." Grace laughed as she fell in beside her mom. "Multitasking for him is like... like..." She put her finger to her mouth and thought. "Like him trying to talk to Kat about sex."

Penelope adjusted her bag as they walked. "Really, you saw him talking to her about it?"

"Yup. Last time I was over he tried giving both of us 'the talk'. It was hilarious to watch him blushing and stuttering."

"Oh my." Penelope laughed at the picture Grace painted. "That poor man. Three girls and he is protective over each one. Hopefully them dating will not be a stressor for him."

Grace leaned forward. "Hear that Ricky. You better not let him catch you and Kat. It might drive him over the edge."

He looked down and blushed. "We haven't done 'it' yet so just leave us alone. Please." Ricky cleared his throat. "So, this place we're going to, how is it?"

"Wonderful. It has the best eggs benny in the city. You two will LOVE it."

/

Later that day Penelope found herself setting herself up on a sunny beach. She had staked an umbrella that would create a nice shade for her to sit under while the kids played.  
"Grace, Ricky. Before you go, put on some sunscreen." She pulled out three bottles. "SPF 15 for Ricky, SPF 30 for Grace, and for the ghost that is myself: SPF 50."

"Aw Mom." Ricky protested. "Why do I have to wear this stuff? You know I don't burn."

"I know that Sug. Be that as it may it doesn't mean that the sun doesn't affect your skin. You're the soon to be doctor to be here, you should know better." She thrust the bottle into his hand. "Now do your front and when you are done I'll get your back. Grace, come here and I'll start with your back."

Without protest Grace sat in front of her mother and pulled her hair to one side. "Hopefully I'll still get a little bit of a tan..."

"Hopefully not." Penelope poured a large dollop of sunscreen on her hand and worked it into Grace's shoulders. "Tans are uber bad. And besides, with you being a little pale I have at least one of my children looking somewhat like myself. There." She wiped her hands on her legs. "You my dear are done. Now, come here and I'll do you Ricky."

Soon everyone was covered and ready to enjoy the sun in their own way.

Penelope had promised herself that she would not worry about the kids today. They were sixteen now and well versed in safety. Ricky's height kept most trouble at bay and Grace would give any perp a run for their money. Plus, thanks to Aaron they both had self defense training. So as long as they remembered to keep themselves hydrated she knew they would be fine.

She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. Through the umbrella she could feel the hot California sunshine. The vaguely familiar feeling on her skin felt wonderful. In the background she could hear the waves crashing on the shore, children squealing in joy, and the petty chatter from those around her.

After traipsing all over Alcatraz this seemed like perfection.

/

"Hey, let's go and play some beach volleyball!" Grace grabbed onto Ricky's arm and began to tug. "I see a game over there."

He looked over in the general direction. "I see it too. But it is all guys. No fun without a girl or two."

Grace jabbed him in the side. "If we go and play there will be at least one girl. Besides, you are taken and if you ogle too many girls here I will tell Kat about it." She grinned and crossed her arms.

"You don't count." Ricky rolled his eyes. "You're my sister. And you know I love Kat but Grace I'm a teenage boy. I have hormones coming out of every orifice possible." He ran a hand over his head. "I try not to, honestly Grace. But it is like my eyes have a mind of their own. Stupid puberty..."

"Relax bro." She patted him on the back. "It's alright. But if you touch even one girl I will tell her. She's my best friend and I will not have you cheating on her in any way shape or form. Now," Grace once again latched onto Ricky's arm. "we have a game to play."

They ran over to the net. Well, Grace ran dragging her brother along. "Hey guys, room for two more?"

The tanned teenagers stopped their game and looked over. The boy who looked to be the alpha stepped forward. "For you, yes. For him no."

"Oh, that's that Grace. I can't play." Ricky turned to leave but was stopped by his sister's firm grip.

"No, it is not." She growled. "Either he plays or we both go off and leave you boys to your sausage fest." Grace placed a hand on her hip and smirked. "Now, you wouldn't want that would you?" She stared down the alpha. She knew his type. He thought he had a chance with her and would do anything to keep her from walking away.

The boy huffed and caved. "Alright. You can be on my team and he can be on the other. Unless you want your 'friend' to play on your side instead."

"Nah," Grace shrugged. "my brother can play on the other side. If anything his height will give them a fighting chance against us." She took a spot in the middle while Ricky stood in the back. "No, Ricky. Move to the front to use your height." Grace beckoned him to move forward.

Realizing that she would not relent unless he did as told he reluctantly moved forward. "I suck at sports Grace. You know that..." He looked around at the other guys and sheepishly smiled. "Sorry in advance..."

"No worries man." He glanced over to see a short stocky boy on his left. "It's just for fun. And besides you brought a girl into the game. That makes almost anything you do ok by me. Now lets get back to the action. Giles, I believe it was your serve bud."

/

Grace bent her knees and readied herself for the assault. Through the air the white ball flew to her. She leaped up into the air and spiked the ball down. Landing it right in front of the stocky boy, Chad. "Ha! Nailed it!" She tossed her head back in victory. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the boy named Sam looking at her. "And you said all I was good for was eye candy."

"You proved me wrong Morgan. Here," He tossed her the ball. "your serve."

She took the ball and smiled as she served. How her mother could spend all afternoon sleeping and laying about was beyond her. Here was where the real fun was.

/

After half an hour of playing the group decided to split up. The boys were going to go snag some beer from Blake's older brother, Ricky was going to go for a swim, and Grace wanted to ask her mom if she could rent a surfboard.

She carefully walked up to her mom to gauge if she was sleeping or not. Lucky Penelope was only reading a book.  
"Hey Mom." Grace took a seat on the towel next to the chair. "Can I have thirty bucks to rent a surfboard? There are some guys surfing at the edge of the beach and I am sure one of them would give me a lesson. I know it wasn't in the budget for today but I could never do this is Quantico and I know it would be really fun."

Penelope put her book down. "If, and I mean if, I do give you the cash you need to do two things for me. One, you need to promise me that you will stay close to the beach and be safe. No risk taking. Second, you will need to walk Angel for a full two weeks with no complaints or protests. And that includes picking up her poop."

"Deal. I will even clean the poop shovel." She impatiently tapped her fingers on her leg. "Do we have a deal?"

"Sure." Penelope reached into her purse and took the money out. "Remember, be careful. If I see you taking unreasonable risks I swear to god I will embarrass the hell right out of you." She tilted her head forwards and made eye contact with her daughter. "And you know I can and would do that."

Grace looked her mom up and down. "You don't think I know already. Hell, you already embarrass me with that bathing suit and those huge glasses. Seriously, why do you need such large sunglasses? Why don't you wear cool ones like Aunt Em?"

"Because I am not Aunt Em." Penelope put her hand to her chest. "I am the vibrant, eccentric, colourful, and flamboyant, Penelope Garcia. I only dress in the costume of a mere mortal when I absolutely have to. And right now, I don't." She waved her hand dismissively. "Now, go and have fun. But be safe."

/

Grace clutched onto the surfboard and looked out at the waves. "So Quinton, it is all about balance, right?"

The dark skinned boy beside her nodded. "Yup. Just balance yourself on your board and go with the flow. Do what feels natural and you will be fine. Here," He grabbed her hand and led her into the ocean. "follow my lead. And here," He reached over and looped the leash around her ankle. "this will help you from losing the board and if you fall off I'll be able to find you."

"Alright." She eagerly paddled out to the smaller waves with Quinton and followed his lead. At first she wobbled and fell a couple of times but soon she latched on and had moved up to the bigger waves. Her heart began beating faster as a large wave came in. She climbed on her board and readied herself. When it hit she shrieked with joy. It was then that Grace decided that if she were to live anywhere other than Quantico, it would be by a beach which she could surf.

Over in the swimming area Ricky dipped beneath the water. The feeling of salt water on his skin was soo different than the fresh water from the lakes back home. To him it felt more... ancient. And warmer. The water back home would still be cold. Warm enough to swim in, but cold enough to shrink certain body parts.

In the distance he could sense his sister. It felt like she was having fun.  
Ricky had often found himself reading up on twin anatomy and behaviour. Some doctors said that twins could sense each other, other doctors refuted the idea.  
He couldn't come to a sound conclusion himself. Ricky indeed had a different bond with Grace than he had seen in other siblings. He could feel his sisters feelings and in turn she could sense his. But her thoughts, her location? No. He couldn't deduce those things.

His lungs began to burn, telling him it was time to come to the surface. Ricky's head broke and he inhaled a fresh breath of air. The water made the hot summer air feel a bit cooler.  
He brushed his hair out of his face and looked around at the people, and immediately felt empty. Ricky missed home. He missed Kat, his cousins, his uncles, home, Angel, everything. Sure, he was having fun here but it was not home.

Ricky knew that Grace had the urge to travel and experience new things. It was one of the aspects of a career with the BAU that appealed to her. But him... Ricky was a homebody. He knew that unless Kat needed to move, he would spend his life in Quantico with her. Sure they would take the odd trip outside of the city, state, or country; but, Quantico would always be home. He wasn't like Grace and his father. He wasn't a risk taker, wasn't one to travel. He couldn't understand how he could ache for Kat while Grace could appear not to miss Oliver in the slightest way. She hadn't even really mentioned him since they arrived in San Fransisco.

He looked at the families playing in the water. Ricky couldn't help but grin. He and Kat had talked about the possibility of children in the future. A topic which he knew both of them were naive about but Ricky was aware that one day he wanted a family and needed to be sure Kat felt the same way.

/

That evening Penelope sat down to dinner at a local seafood restaurant with Jose and their families. "I had no clue this place was still open. I swore I heard that they closed." She picked up a menu. "I remember coming here all the time with..." She bit her cheek. "with everyone."

Jose took a seat next to Vivi. "They did close down for a couple years. Not sure why... but they recently opened up." He took Vivi's hand. "I thought you would like it Penelope. What a better way to end a visit to San Francisco than dinner at one of the best joints in town while looking over the bay? By the way, I talked to Philip last night and he says 'hi'. And that our nephew is turning into a fine young man."

Penelope sipped on the glass of water and sighed. "I wish I could see him. I am sure those pictures you have do him little justice. He's soo handsome like Dad. But, he has that cheeky smile of Philip's."

"I wish I could see him too. But Philip refuses to come home." He quietly ordered a beer. "Says that as much as he loves us he just can't be in the same city in which... in which they were killed. I understand but at the same time he should just grow a pair and come home. Hell," Jose grumbled. "you came back. You have more balls than he does."

"Aw, thank you." Penelope ordered a cider. "I'm sure he'll come home eventually. If not, Hernandez might come to visit on his own. Eventually everyone becomes curious about their family. And if Philip keeps it a mystery it will only become more tempting for his son."

"I know. Say, speaking of traveling..." Jose put his menu down. "Vivi and I were talking and we are thinking of coming to Quantico next summer for a visit. Jasmine here should be able to get time off from work. What do you say Sis?"

She handed Ricky and Grace two quarters. "Here, can you two go to the candy machines and get yourselves some candy." She made sure her tone made it clear that she wanted them to go without question. Penelope watched and waited until they were out of earshot.  
"Their Nonno is taking them to Italy next summer on a surprise trip. They don't know about it yet, hence the surprise."

"Then it will be just us. I am sure you can keep us entertained for a week."

Penelope smiled a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm sure. You three would be more than welcome to visit. It would be great to have a chance to show you around Quantico. And, Washington is only a short drive away so I could take you to visit the capitol. And who knows, maybe I could use my FBI privileges to give you an extra special tour of the White House."

Jasmine's eyes bugged out. "Oh my god that would be soo cool!"

"Let me know when you are coming and I will try my best to set something up." Penelope beamed. "Now, say nothing about the trip to Italy. If they find out before David tells them I will never hear the end of it. Ever."


	49. Elle

_Sorry for the long wait. I've been working graveyards and dealing with a sick fiance who is useless when he is sick. Bah! Well, anyways here is the next chapter. Thanks for sticking with the story and thanks to those who review. It is wonderful to know that you actually like this. Helps keep me somewhat sane, lol. Hopefully this one is alright, had a hard time writing about Alex. I wish the writers would flesh out her character a little more... it would make writing about her easier._

After last night Penelope found it hard to drag her body from the soft bed. But she and the kids were meeting with Elle in an hour at the coffee shop down the street. 8am had been the only time that worked for both parties.  
She slipped on a robe and walked out of her room. "Rise and shine my twinnies." Penelope playfully smacked Ricky's exposed foot. "Wake up. We're meeting Elle for coffee soon, and you two need to pack up and get ready." She moved on to Grace.

"Come on Princess." She poked Grace's shoulder. "Time to go get some coffee." Penelope went to her suitcase and took out her clothes for the day. "I'm going to get myself ready. By the time I come out of the loo I want the both of you almost ready to go."

"Yes Mom." Ricky grumbled as he pulled the covers over his face.

Penelope pulled the covers back. "Na-ah boy. That is the opposite of getting up. Now unless you want me to rip off all the covers you will start actually getting your butt out of bed." She smirked as she walked into the bathroom.

Grace pulled back the covers and got out of her bed. "Better do as Mom says Ricky." She stretched and yawned. "You know her morning threats are real." Grace pulled her suitcase over and began rummaging about. "When we get to the hotel tonight I am soo getting in the hot tub." She groaned and rubbed her shoulder. "My muscles are aching after yesterday."

"I hate mornings." Ricky grumbled, pulling back the covers and swinging his legs over. "Life would be better if mornings did not exist." He yawned and reached for his glass case. "I think I'll skip the contacts today... the energy to put them in isn't there." He sifted through his suitcase and pulled out a shirt and canvass shorts. While he looked for a pair of boxers a thought crossed his mind.  
"Hey Grace, is everything alright?"

She pulled out a tank top and a pair of baggy shorts. "What do you mean Ricky?"

Ricky slipped his shirt over his head. "Well, yesterday you seemed to be getting pretty close to that guy who was teaching you how to surf. I doubt Owen would have liked that. And usually when boys hit on you like he did you give them the glare of death."

"You mean Quinton?" Grace shrugged. "He wasn't hitting on me, just teaching me how to surf that's all. And it is not any of Owen's business who I talk to." She picked up her clothes and walked into her mom's room. Grace shut the door behind her and effectively ended the conversation.

"Women..." Ricky grumbled. "Nonno is right. I will never understand them..."

Inside the room Grace dumped her clothes on her mom's bed and sat down. She played with the ring on her right finger and sighed. Boys were a complicated lot and despite tentative training in profiling from the best minds she still did not fully understand the minds of males.  
She sighed and took the ring off and looked it over before slipping it back on.

/

Penelope had Grace and Ricky sit outside while she went in to get the coffee. Elle should be there soon, she had always been a stickler for timing and Penelope doubted that had changed over the years. She ordered the three coffees: a mocha for her, Americano for Grace, and Ricky's usual.

"Well well, I never thought of you as the early riser type."

Penelope turned around and saw Elle leaning against the door smiling. "Having kids does that to a person. You need to stay one step ahead of them and that usually means getting up before they do." She walked up and hugged her old colleague. "I missed doing this yesterday."

Elle briefly returned the hug. "Yesterday was kind of unscripted. It is alright Garcia." Elle drew herself back. "I don't know about you but my addiction is calling me."

"You have no idea. I didn't allow time to brew some coffee at the hotel so I am running on empty. And oh, last night," Penelope grinned. "we went out for dinner with one of my brothers and his family. We didn't come home until after midnight. It's amazing how time can fly when you are making up for over twenty years."

"I know. Speaking of catching up I managed to talk my partner into covering for me this morning so I have another hour." Elle smiled. "So we don't have to inhale the coffee. And, I'm getting you breakfast here. Don't try to stop me."

"Oh I won't. Thanks Elle, the drive will be better without them complaining about an empty stomach."

/

The four sat outside at the same table as yesterday. The distant sounds of the ocean could be heard over the traffic and people. "I love this city." Elle leaned back and crossed her legs. "It is so vibrant and alive. And there is always something going on."

Penelope sipped her coffee. "So, how did you come to live here?"

"Well," She put her cup down. "after I left the BAU I did some soul searching, some thinking, and traveling. Eventually I caved and got professional help." Elle glanced at the passing people. "I moved here to get some sun and to enjoy myself. That is what the doctor said. Well, she actually said to relax and take it easy but you know me. I could never sit around with nothing to do."  
Elle toyed with her cup. "One day I saw a job opening for a security guard for the Bay Area museum and took it. I had been working as a taxi driver. Yeah, I know. Me. A taxi driver." She scoffed. "A security guard seemed more up my ally. And five years after that the local police force needed someone to work sex crimes. I applied and amazingly enough I got the job."  
She pursed her lips. "I've been with the San Francisco PD since." Elle sighed. "I don't think I would change my life here for anything. Sun, good looking men, a relaxed atmosphere. Scratch that. Actually," she picked at the cardboard sleeve. "I would change it for the chance to come back. I miss the BAU and you guys. If I could, I would go back and change what happened."

"Sug," Penelope reached out and laid her hand on top of Elle's. "I think everyone would love to become time travelers if they had the chance." She gently squeezed her friend's hand. "What counts now though is that you are happy. If you are happy that is what matters. Are you?"

Elle cracked a small smile. "Most days, yes. But like I said, I miss you guys. So much must have happened since I left..."

"Oh you have no idea. For one, Haley was murdered by The Reaper and Aaron went berserk on the guy. And by berserk I mean he beat the man to death." Penelope looked at Elle's startled face. "I know, totally not like Aaron to do something like that. But The Reaper, Foyat, threatened Jack and Aaron knew that if given the chance Foyat would not hesitate to kill Jack."  
Penelope bit her lip. "After that... we didn't know if Aaron would be coming back or not. I wouldn't if I was him. But, you know Aaron: a slave to duty. He came back. But he hasn't been the same since. Lost weight, he became withdrawn, and the sadness in his eyes is always there. You don't need to be a profiler to know that her death changed him and that he will probably never stop grieving and blaming himself. Though he shouldn't blame himself, it was not his fault in any ways..."  
She blinked away the tears that had begun to form. "The pain was, and still is, written on his face. He tried to date. Aaron put in a valiant effort but... Haley was his soul mate and without her he needed to dedicate himself to his job and their son. There was no room for someone else."

"J.J. is married and has two kids. Shortly after you left we had a case in New Orleans and J.J., our fearless communications liaison, fell for the cop working the case. Oh you should hear his, Will's, accent. It is drool worthy. Anyways, they had a son together, Henry, my godson, got married, and had another boy, Austin. She is like the perfect mom. You should see her Elle. One time, right before her and Will were married, she disabled an UnSub who had Henry by unloading the gun WHILE the UnSub was holding it. Awesome, right? I love Em and Alex like my sisters but J.J. is my best friend as well as a sister.  
She left us for a while due to cuts and other people wanting her," Penelope glared. "they took her away without even bothering to see how it would affect the effectiveness of the unit. We survived but it was hard without her. Eventually she came back to us after Em went into hiding but I don't think she ever fully forgave the powers that be for pushing her out. I know I didn't. Recently though she got a promotion to 2IC when Rossi retired. Btw, David Rossi came back to the team to replace Jason."

Elle's eyes shot open. "Gideon left?"

"Uh-uh." Penelope nodded. "His sort of girlfriend was killed by a serial killer who somehow had it out for the poor man. After that... he lost it. Jason felt that he wasn't effective in his position anymore and just left... it hit the team hard, especially Spencer. As you know Jason was like a father to him, and his rapid departure brought up all those feelings the poor boy was holding onto from his actual dad leaving." She shook her head. "I understand Jason's reasoning but it still didn't make his actions right.  
When these two were young I ran into him in Chicago of all places and been in contact with him ever since. The team eventually reconnected with him as well. It took time, the feelings of betrayal were still there. But, now, things between him and everyone else is probably as good as it will ever get."  
She arched a puzzled brow at Elle. "How is it you knew about Derek but not Jason?"

"Oh," Elle shrugged her shoulders. "my first partner was a police officer from Chicago. He took time off to attend the funeral. Derek was sort of an idol to the kid. You might know him: Jeff Harriot."

Penelope's eyes lit up with recognition. "Yeah, I remember him. He was Derek's last partner before he came to the BAU." She smirked and took a sip of coffee. "Small world, isn't it?"

Elle nodded in agreement. "It really is. So, how is Reid?"

"Spencer, oh Spencer." The blonde grinned. "You should see him now Elle. He is no longer the innocent little baby of the family. No, our Spencer is now a father." Penelope chuckled at Elle's shocked face. "I know. Better yet, he has three girls and oh boy you should see him stressing out now that the two oldest are beginning to date. Though I am not sure if he is aware of Jane and Austin. Hell, I'm not even sure what is going on between the two of them. Anyways, he is an awesome father and has really matured over the past years. Rumour is that when Aaron takes over Strauss' job, J.J. will move into his place and Spencer will be the 2IC. But that is still in the works."

"Wow..." Elle nodded her head. "I never would have imagined him going that far. He always seemed like a... a..."

"A little brother?"

"Yeah, like a little brother." Penelope leaned forward. "So, do you want to hear about Emily, David, and Alex?"

"Yeah. Tell me about Rossi first. Why the hell did he come back to the BAU? Didn't he become rich off of his books?"

Grace smirked. "No kidding he did. You should see his house. It is HUGE. We could fit at least five of our houses in it. Probably with room to spare."

Penelope glanced at Grace. "She's right. He is pretty loaded. But he came back not because he needed to but because he wanted to. I am pretty sure the plan for him was to come back, solve a murder case from his first few days that had been bugging him, and go back to book life. But out hodgepodge of a family kind of grew on him."  
She smiled. "At first David was aloof and distant. Holding himself above us. But eventually he began sharing himself with the team and when he needed help he allowed us to assist him. Sometimes he still resisted a tiny bit but you know the way we are, we are pushy and stubborn. Every time he caved." She played with a ring on her pinky. "After... after Derek died he took me in and helped me out. We stayed with him until these two were fiveish. I don't know what we would have done without him... I know no one can take the actual place of my dad but I look to him as if he was, you know, my father." Penelope's eyes glistened. "He's retired again and I think he'll stay retired this time. He wants to spend more time with the children before they all grow up and move away... It doesn't matter what he does as long as David stays in Quantico with us, with me and the kids."

She looked at the harbour, at the cruise ship that was making it's way to the docks. "Emily Prentiss... she was your replacement. Kinda appeared out of nowhere one day. Neither Aaron nor Jason knew where she came from. But, she was soo good that afterwords we forgot about that. Later, we found out she was placed to be a mole but," Penelope grinned. "Em refused to do what the higher ups wanted her to.  
She stayed with us until her past came back to threaten her, and us. A former weapons dealer she helped put behind bars escaped and began hunting the people who incarcerated him and their families. Since we were Em's family we were the targets. She ran to protect us... and in the end we thought she was killed but in reality she went into hiding without us knowing. Well everyone aside from Aaron and J.J., they were the ones who put her into deep cover. It hurt soo bad, thinking she was dead and that we would never, ever, get to see or hold her again. So imagine our surprise when she came back. I was ecstatic to have her back.  
Em stayed with us until she was forced, once again, to leave us. She said it was because she couldn't grab onto her old life but... it was because she was pregnant and the father, that rat bastard, threatened her career. She fled, but came back again when it was safe. Em was the one who filled Derek's spot."  
Penelope bit her lip and lowered her eyes. "It was hard having someone in his spot... sitting at his desk, doing his paperwork... but I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to take his place."

"And Alex Blake..." Penelope toyed with a strand of hair that strayed in front of her face. "Oh Alex. Have you read any of her work?"

"A couple papers on South American linguistics. She seems like an intelligent woman, kind of like a female Reid. Though, didn't she give the wrong linguistics profile in the Amerithrax case?" Elle leaned back. "That must have set her back a few years..."

"It is a sore spot for her, yes. But it wasn't all her fault. It was more of a universal mistake in the entire profile that Strauss allowed Blake to take the full... credit for when they arrested the wrong person. It took years for my poor Alex to recover and make it to the BAU. Like David she was distant at first but, we grew on her and she became... quite nice." Penelope chuckled at the inside joke.  
"Once she tried to stop filling Em's shoes and started carving her own path she began to fit in. During my pregnancy we really bonded with her. J.J., Alex, and eventually Em, all had coffee at David's with me on a weekly basis and when I got my own place we moved it there. And once Spence presented his girlfriend and later wife, Anna, she came too.  
Alex kinda took a role of an older sister, with her being older than most of us, it was a role she fit into. You could always count on her to be there when she was needed." Penelope sipped her coffee. "She earned her stripes." She leaned forward and clung onto her cup. "Alex was married... to a man she thought she knew but, it turned out he only married her because of her prestigious name. Alex was part of the MacArthur family. In reality he was having an affair with another, a younger, woman who he did love. It broke my poor girl's heart when she found out.  
She did what any smart woman would do after finding out something like that. Alex started divorcing his ass and enlightened his mistress on what was happening. We thought that was the end of it but... it wasn't. Since it was Ricky," Penelope motioned to her son. "that made the discovery of her husband's true nature, he blamed my son and kidnapped him. We saved him, but Alex's husband was shot and killed. Normally I get sad whenever someone dies, even a bad guy, but... Elle he threatened my family, my son. I wasn't sad or sorry."

"Anyways," Penelope put an arm around Ricky. "Alex mostly recovered though you can tell she distrusts people a little more. Well, she still trusts us but then again we are her family. I'm really glad she didn't leave us. Really, really, glad. But she is retiring from fieldwork in the fall which is sad, actually it is uber sad. But she deserves to relax and sit back. And it is not like she is leaving for good, she will still be teaching at the academy. Oh, if you are ever in Quantico you should so sit in on a class of her's. She is a great teacher."

Elle's eyes began to glisten. "I've missed soo much... I'm sorry Garcia. I'm sorry for leaving, for putting myself in a position where I had to leave... for everything. I know how you don't like change... how most of the BAU doesn't like change..." She ran a hand through her hair. "I would give anything to come back some days but I know after what I did... there is no chance." She let out a deep chuckle. "After what I did it is amazing I got on the police force here."

Penelope took her arm off of Ricky's shoulders and took Elle's hand in her's. "Hun, we don't blame you. The team thrust you into a situation you were not ready for and you snapped. It happens. Hell, it even happened to Aaron when Foyat killed Haley. We don't hate you Sug, we never could hate you. If you want I could take your contact information and give it to Spencer and Aaron, even Jason too if you want. I am sure they would love to get back into contact with you. Hell, I'm not leaving here without you giving me your contact info because I want to reconnect with you."

"Garcia," Elle laughed. "I'm surprised you did not hack the information yet. Why didn't you?"

"Eh," Penelope shrugged her shoulders. "I figured that when you wanted to be found one of us would find you. Everything always happens for a reason." She winked.


	50. Fishing

_Sorry, sorry, and sorry to keep you all waiting. Graveyard shifts suck when it comes to creativity. And my mind is insisting on working on a future chapter that will hopefully be both funny and cute. I know, excuses excuses. Anyways, here it is and hopefully you will all like it. Again, sorry for the wait. And as always I do not own CM. But I can tell you that the promo for the new ep is finally on youtube!_

"Mom, do you want me to drive?"

Penelope arched her shoulders and stretched. "Nah, I got this Grace. But thanks. Besides, you can't drive out of state until you get your full license." She adjusted the radio, trying to get a station. "I don't get it, we are almost nearing the outskirts of Chicago, there should be at least one stupid radio station that I can get." Penelope huffed and relented. "Ricky, can you get a cd out of the back? Maybe the Mica one?"

"Sure." He rummaged in the pocket in the back of Penelope's seat and pulled out the desired disk along with a couple others he thought his mom would enjoy. "Here, I also grabbed the Black 47 one that you like. Perfect road trip music."

"Awesome." She reached back and grabbed the disks and handed them to Grace. "Here, can you put these in for me? And pick the one you want to play first." She shifted in her seat. "We shouldn't be more than a half an hour or so. And knowing your Grandma she will have dinner ready for us along with our beds. God I love that woman."

Grace popped in the Mica cd. "I hope she has her scalloped potatoes. Grandma makes those the best." Her mouth began to water at the thought. "It's been ages since we had them. Oh, and steaks. Hell, right now I'd be happy with anything."

"Even Aunt Anna's tofu surprise?" Ricky smirked.

"Yuck," Grace stuck her tongue out. "no, never. That stuff is nasty. Plus, I need red meat. Before we left coach said I needed to pack on some weight before the new season starts and that means red meat and carbs." She leaned against the door. "Man ,I hope the new season will be a good one."

Penelope glanced over. "It will be Sug. And we will be there for every single game cheering you on. And for the Thanksgiving game your Grandma and Dad's sisters will be there too. So there will be even more people cheering for the great Grace Morgan."

"Thanks Mom." Grace began to smirk but then a warm smile spread across her face. "You guys are the best."

"Damn straight we are. Hey Ricky, are you going to be in the drama club again this fall? You haven't talked at all about it."

"I do not know. I'm not sure if I should this year..."

"And why not?" She looked in the mirror at her son. "You enjoy it and frankly Sug you are good. If you didn't have your heart set on becoming a doctor I would say go into acting. Hell, Uncle Aaron has suggested that you might be a good under cover agent but I told him no way. There is no way on this planet I will let two of my babies go into law enforcement. It is bad enough that I will have to worry about Gracie. Now, why are you balking at drama club this year?"

"Eh," Ricky shrugged his shoulders. "I talked to Mrs. Mackay before we left and we will be doing a play... Pirates of Penzance. And I know Uncle Aaron will insist on coming to see it... Mom, I just don't want him to be upset."

"Hun," She threw him a reassuring look. "it might be hard for him but he will not be upset. If anything it will bring back good memories. I'd say go for it. And Sug, if he doesn't want to see it, he doesn't have to come and watch. I'll just ask Jack to take him out to a movie that night or something. It'll be fine."

"Oh alright. I'll think about it."

"Good, now sit tight and brace yourselves. We're coming upon Chicago. Time for a soft bed, hot meals, and time with Grandma and your aunts. Last I heard from Aunt Sara, she said Charlie should be happy to see you. He misses his favourite cousins."

Grace huffed and looked out her window. "Yeah right, last time he was a total jerk wad. Pulling my hair, teasing Ricky, and insulting us. If we are his favourite cousins I would hate to see how he treats his other cousins."

"Now now, everyone has their off times. According to Aunt Sarah he has been much better since they enrolled him in military school. Even your Grandma says the change has been good. And besides you haven't seen him in years so don't be so quick to judge him."

/

Twenty minutes later they pulled into the driveway exhausted, sore, and tired. They had been on the road since before daybreak and were ready to sit down in a soft seat and relax.  
"Mom," Grace climbed out of her seat. "let's never push it like that again. I love you and Ricky, I really do, but after spending all that time in that small van... I can see why those UnSubs snap."

"Come on sis," Ricky patted her on the back. "we are not _that_ bad."

"Penelope!"  
The three people looked at the steps to see an excited Fran. Before they could move she had engulfed Ricky in a hug. "My sweet Grandbabies!" She drew back and planted a kiss on her grandson's forehead. "It has been far too long. Oh my how you have grown. Penelope dear you didn't tell me that my grandson shot up like a weed."

Penelope gasped in mock offense. "I so did. I told you he recently had a growth spurt." She hugged Fran. "But I do confess... I did neglect to say that it was an uber growth spurt."

"No worries Dear." Fran grinned. "All that matters now is that you are here. And oh," She made her way to Grace. "my sweet precious Granddaughter." Fran kissed Grace on the forehead. "You look tough as nails, as usual. Grab your bags and come on in you three. I have dinner all ready and waiting for you. Scalloped potatoes and ham. I know I know, you were probably hoping for pizza or something but I wanted to get a nice hot home cooked meal in you."

"Fran," Penelope grabbed her bags. "that was almost exactly what we were hoping for. A nice home cooked meal. We just need to settle our bags, wash up, and then we'll be ready to eat. And thank you soo much. I've spent all day thinking about sleeping in Derek's room and eating your cooking."

"Here, let me get a bag." Fran reached down and grabbed one of Grace's bags. "Actually I was thinking one of the kids could stay in his room this time. I have a new mattress in the other spare room and your back will feel soo much better after sleeping on it. Trust me Dear."

"Alright _mother_." Penelope playfully winked at the older woman before following her band of children inside."

/

Two days later Grace woke up to the sound of her phone on the nightstand beside the bed. Groaning she reached over and turned off the alarm. It was far too early for someone like her to be up. But, her cousin and his buddies were going fishing this morning and if she wanted to come, this was the time to be awake. She was sure that he had no want for Grace to join them, but Fran had insisted to both parties that it would be a good chance to bond and that they might actually have some fun.

She stumbled out of the bed and to her suitcase. Grace pulled out a te-shirt and a pair of sweatpants before coming out of her room and shuffling to the washroom to shower. On her way she smelled the faint scent of coffee drifting from the kitchen downstairs. She glanced at her grandmother's room and saw the door open.  
Grace smiled at the realization that her grandmother probably got up just to make sure she had a decent breakfast and a cup of coffee before going. Fran was a perfect contrast to David. Where her Nonno was gruff and a bit rough around the edges her Grandma was sweet and tender.

Quickly she showered and got herself ready before coming downstairs.

"Good morning Sunshine. I have waffles with butter and strawberries for you." Fran grabbed the plate and plunked it down in front of Grace. "And, I have coffee for you. Can't have you going fishing on an empty stomach now can we?" She took a plate and sat down beside Grace. "I remember doing this with your Grandpa when we went out fishing."

Grace grinned. "Grandma, it is far to early for anyone to be as cheerful as you." She got up and filled her travel mug with coffee. "Did the perky bug bite you or something?"

"I am just soo happy to have you here." Fran took a sip of her own coffee. "Sometimes it feels like you and your brother are growing up without me... And to be honest at times I wish your mom would move here with you two but..." She bit her lip. "But, I know that is not possible. Her life and most of her family are in Quantico... It would be unfair to rip you away from that."

An awkward silence fell over the pair as they ate their breakfast and drank their coffee. Grace knew why her Grandmother felt the way she did. She often wished her Dad's family were closer. It would have been ideal if they moved to Quantico. But, Grace knew her Grandma's, and Aunt's lives, were in Chicago. Just like her family was centered in Quantico.  
As Grace put the last piece of waffle in her mouth she heard a car pull up in the drive. "That must be them Gran, I'll be home before dinner, or I will try." She got up and grabbed her bag. Quickly giving Fran a hug before filling her travel mug back up. "Tell Mom that I have my cell phone and that we are going to Busse Lake. Love you."

Fran tenderly kissed her Granddaughter before letting her go. "I love you too. Now go and have fun, but first take your lunch and the bottle of water from the fridge!"

Grace walked out of the house and threw her bag into the back of the jeep. She eyed her cousin who was throwing her a glare. "Do you have tackle and a rod?" Charlie huffed.

"Not right now. But there is a rod and a tackle box in the garage. Give me a second to grab it." She ran off to quickly get the fishing gear. A glint in her cousin's eyes told her that he didn't think enjoy the idea of her tagging along and Grace had no wish to make it worse.

"Man," The young man next to Charlie groaned. "this is why we shouldn't have brought a chick. They take forever to get ready. By the time we make it to the lake it'll be too damn late."

"Relax Josh. You know I had no choice. My Grandma invited her along... and no one goes against her wishes." His hands tightened on the steering wheel. "And from what my Ma said, it is better to have Grace with us than her brother. From what I heard that boy is a real pansy. Drama club, med camp, hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he played chess or something lame like that."

"He actually does play chess, and is good at it." Grace put the tackle into the back. "Chess is a game of the mind though, I doubt you could grasp the concept, _Cousin_."

"Get in," Charlie huffed. "you can sit in the back with Tyler. Now, are you finally ready to go?"

"Yep." Grace buckled herself in. "now lets go bag us some fish. Grandma was telling me last night how Busse is great for bass."

"Whatever." Charlie put the jeep in reverse and pulled out of the drive.

/

Penelope smiled as she woke. After sharing a hotel room with her two children it was nice to wake up and know that she could move around without the fear of waking up her children. Granted, they had a room where she had her own little bedroom but the walls in the hotel were thin and any sound would reverberate through to the main area with the kids. And the mattress in this room, Fran did not kid when she said it would be good for Penelope's back.

She slipped on her slippers and grabbed her rob before walking out of her bedroom. She stopped in front of Grace's room and pushed open the door. Her heart began to beat faster when she saw an empty bed. For a moment Penelope panicked before remembering this was the morning she was going fishing with Charlie and his friends.

Quietly Penelope made her way downstairs and into the kitchen.  
"Morning Dear, I was wondering when you would be getting up."

"Morning Fran." Penelope poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down. "Grace already gone?"

"Yes," Fran looked up from her crossword puzzle. "she left hours ago with the boys. I take it Ricky is still asleep?"

"Yep. He won't be up for another hour or so. My son is soo not a morning person." Penelope let out a yawn. "So Fran, what is on for today?"

"Well, I was thinking that you, me, Des, and Sarah, could go for coffee. Ricky could come too if he wants. They have a milkshake there that I think he would like. And after, well, it is open. We can do whatever you want."

"Coffee with Des and Sarah sounds nice, and maybe some shopping later? Ricky needs some new jeans... the pairs he has now will be flood pants soon. And he needs some new shirts. One's that are not sweater vests... But just wait and see. He will probably be glued to his phone the entire time texting Kat. I swear, I haven't seen anyone texting or talking that much to one person since... since..."

"Since you are Derek?" Fran smiled but her eyes hinted at the sadness within.

"Yeah, since Derek." Penelope sipped her coffee. "Wait, were we really that bad?"

"Oh yes you were. The... the last time he was here we couldn't go a minute without him sending you a text or without him talking about you." Fran sighed. "We could all tell that he loved you... when he talked about you, Derek got a look on his face of utter and pure joy." She brushed back a stray curl of grey hair. "I was soo glad that you two finally got together and allowed yourselves a bit of happiness. Out of all the woman my son was with, you were the one I liked the best."

"Aw, thanks. And out of the handful of men I dated, you are the one mother I liked the best." She sighed and leaned back. "On other topics, do you think Grace is having fun?"

"I think," Fran chewed on the edge of her pen in concentration. "that she is probably having a blast while showing the boys up."

/

"Now, Grace," Charlie picked a worm out of the container. "this may seem gross but worms are the best way to catch a fish. You take it like this and-"

"And place it on the hook like so?" Grace picked up a worm and slid it on the hook without blinking. "You guys act like it is my first time fishing. It isn't. My Nonno takes me fishing all the time back in Quantico. He's also takes me duck hunting sometimes, which is fun. According to him I am a natural when it comes to firearms."

"Yeah, like that." Charlie tried to hide his irritation at her trying to one up him. "Before we cast, who wants a beer? Tyler?"

"Sure man. Pass me a cold one." The slender blonde took a beer and opened the can. "Now, this is what fishing is all about. Drinking beer with the boys. And," He glanced towards Grace. "putting up with the occasional chick."

"Grace," Charlie looked at her. "you want one?"

"No thanks. I'm alright."

Charlie smirked. "What's the matter? Too good for a beer? Do you need some wine or something?"

"No," Grace glared, her black eyes flickered with anger. "I can so drink. Could probably drink you all under the table if I wanted to. But lucky for you guys I just don't want to right now because I am here to catch fish and not get myself drunk."

"Chuck," Josh grabbed a beer and chuckled. "your cousin is probably a lightweight in denial."

Grace pursed her lips and glared at the guys. She had drank the odd glass of wine and scotch with her Nonno at family gatherings and it had not been a big deal. But that was when she was surrounded by family. Here, she was with strangers. Sure, her cousin was technically family but she did not know him that well, not well enough for her to drink around him.  
But, Grace was a Morgan and turning down a challenge was not in her blood.  
"Pass me one." She caved and took a beer from Charlie. "Just one though."

"Finally," He pulled a beer from the cooler and passed it over. "we are going to have some fun. Now, let's show these fish we mean business."

/

That evening Charlie pulled up into the driveway of his Grandmother's house. "Alright guys, lets get this lightweight into the house before my Grandma notices."

Tyler got out and extracted a drunk Grace from the back seat of the Jeep. "She had what? Seven beers? I hardly call that a lightweight." He slid an arm under her legs and tossed her over his shoulder. "I think she drank pretty much all our beer."

"She should have quit after the first." Josh took her gear out of the back. "But no, Chuck had to keep egging her on. Saying she wasn't good enough. Man, thanks to you we got no fish. None. All we have is an underage drunk chick. Next time, it is either no beer or no girls."

Charlie scowled. "No girls. None after today. And it isn't my fault she took us up on the challenge. She could have said no."

"Dude," Josh opened the front door. "you called her out. She had no choice."

Charlie took his spare key, unlocked the door, and slowly pushed it open. He peered inside to see if anyone was in the living room, or within eyesight of the front door. Breathing a sigh of relief he walked in with his friends close in tow. He plunked Grace on the sofa and began tip toeing out but was stopped by his Grandma.

Fran bustled into the living room to great the party. "Oh good you are finally back. Are we having fish for dinner tonight or will we be regaled with the story of the one that got away?" She stopped in her tracks when she saw Grace. "What happened? Is she alright?" As Fran came closer she could smell the beer. Her eyes darkened with anger as the realization dawned on her.  
"I thought you weren't bringing beer this time."

"Come on Gran,"Charlie rolled his eyes. "you can't go fishing without having a couple beers. It's just not right."

"She looks and smells like she had more than a couple. And you know she is underage. Charlie, go home. I'll call your mother later and we will be having a little talk. I guarantee it. And you two," She motioned to Tyler and Josh. "go to wherever you live. I don't want to see any of you right now. And, you three are lucky her mom isn't here because she would tear you a new one."  
Fran's ears perked up at the sound of a van pulling in. "Never mind, you guys will have a shit show to deal with in a few seconds."

/

Penelope walked in with Ricky and plunked her shopping bags down. "Fran, I know you will say that I don't need to get you anything but I picked up a little-" She glanced up and saw Grace laying on the couch in an unnatural pose with the boys and Fran surrounding her. Penelope's heart stopped and she rushed over.

"Grace, Gracie, are you alright?" She patted her daughter's cheek to wake her up. When Grace let out a groan Penelope breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to look at Fran. "What happened?"

Fran glared at her Grandson and his friends. "I do not know. What I can gather is that these fools took beer on their fishing trip and somehow got Grace drunk. They know damn well she is underage and should not be drinking."

Penelope pulled a strand of black hair out of Grace's face. "She drinks on occasion but only around her family." She got up and turned towards the group of young men. "But she would know better than to put herself in this position around people she is not familiar with. Unless..." Penelope walked up and looked Charlie in the eyes. "someone challenged her. Did you? Did you push her to drink so you guys could have a good time? Did you call her out and push her into this?"

Charlie looked down and flexed his toes. "Yes. But it wasn't just me, it was Josh and Tyler too. Listen," His eyes shot up. "we didn't want to take her but you guys forced us to. Hell Grandma, we were only doing what we usually do when we are fishing. It isn't our fault that she is a proud bitch."

Fran's eyes narrowed in a glare and she clenched her fists. "Well I am sorry that you were so hard done by us. I just thought it might be nice for you to bond with one of your cousins. I can see I was wrong Charles. Now, I want the three of you to head on home. And boy," Fran stared down Charlie. "I will be having a talk with your Momma, you can bet your bottom dollar on it."

Her grandson opened his mouth and began to protest but was stopped by Penelope. "Charles. Don't you say one word. If you do I swear to god I will send whatever technology that you have back to the 1990's. Now go." Charles took one final look at the scene before following his friends out the door.

Fran knelt by Grace. "I am soo sorry Sweetheart, and Penelope. I thought it would have been a good bonding experience for them. I did not think Charles would be stupid enough to do this..."

Penelope joined Fran. "It is alright." She tenderly put a hand on Grace's cheek. "Sometimes I wish she wasn't so proud... so stubborn... so..."

"So much like her father?" Fran put an arm around Penelope. "Derek was just like that. He was fine until someone called him out or issued some type of challenge. After, he had to prove them wrong or get himself in trouble trying. But oh, I am going to have a nice little chat with Sarah. She will ground him three ways until next Friday."

"Fran, Charlie is a college student. I doubt she can ground him."

"Oh she can. As long as a child lives under your roof you have the power to ground them in one form or another. He will be-"

"Momma..." Grace began to stir. "My tummy doesn't feel so good..."

"Here sweetheart." Penelope helped Grace up. "Let's get you to the bathroom. Can you try to make it Hun?"

Grace bit her cheek and forced the bile back down. "I'll try... where's Charlie? Did he concede defeat?..."

"Let me help you Dear." Fran took one of Grace's arms while Penelope held the other and together they led her to the upstairs bathroom. "I'll go get the girl a glass of water for when she is done..."

"Thank you..." Penelope held her daughter's hair as Grace expelled the contents of her stomach. "There, there Sug. Let it out." She rubbed Grace's back while she heaved. "After you're done we'll have a nice glass of water ready for you. Oh Gracie. Why do you have to be like your father. I mean, I get it. It is who you are but, I know you got some of my brains in there..."

"Momma," Grace panted. "please, let's deal with this later..."

"Sure." Penelope went back to rubbing her drunk daughter's back. All the while vowing that for the remainder of the trip Grace would not be out of her eyesight.


	51. Morning After

_Sorry for the short length of this chapter. I tried to lengthen it but it didn't seem... right. Thank you all soo, soo, soo much for the reviews. This is me before a review: :/ and this is me after a review: :D  
Anyways, good morning and happy reading. And as usual I do not own Criminal Minds._

The next morning Penelope sat down at the kitchen table and stared blankly into the space in front of her; ignoring the coffee that was slowly becoming cold.

"What's wrong Dear?"

Fran's voice snapped Penelope back to the real world. "Huh? What do you mean Fran?"

"Well," The older lady took a seat beside the young woman. "I may not be a profiler but I know when something is eating at somebody. And Dear something is eating away at you. Now come on and spit it out before you get more grey hair."

"It's nothing." Penelope bit her lip. "Alright, so it is something. I know teenagers are supposed to be moody, unpredictable, and sometimes thick headed people. But, I can't get past the feeling that something is wrong with my little girl. She is snappy one minute and perfectly quiet the next. She's happy then miserable. And Fran, I know she is stubborn and proud but yesterday was soo not like her. She is usually more cautious, more apt to be safe... She knows what can happen, she has seen the aftermath on my screens. My mother sense is on high alert."

Fran's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Penelope, if you feel that something is a big enough issue to upset Grace this much then maybe it is time to confront and ask her." She sighed heavily. "I often wished I followed my gut and asked Derek about Carl. Something about that man ate at me but he was such a good influence on Derek I ignored that feeling. When I found out... it broke my heart that I felt something was wrong but did not take and act on it."

"How do I talk to her? I mean my little girl has always been so open and forward with her thoughts and emotions. I have never had to confront her on anything. Ricky yes, I've had to talk to him a couple of times and force things out but not Gracie."

"She knows that she can talk to you about anything, right? The she will open up when she is ready to. Penelope, unless your gut is telling you that something is life threatening or putting her at a great risk, leave it be until she is ready. I know it is hard."

Penelope shook her head. "Fran, why do my babies have to be all secretive now? What happened to my little babies? They used to be all sweet and innocent."

Fran extended a hand and held onto Penelope's left hand tightly. "They are growing up like all kids do. Like mine did, like Aaron's son did. And this is just another step in your lives together. Enjoy it. Before you know it they will be grown up and out of the house."

"I don't want to think about that." Penelope sniffed. "I want to live in self denial at the moment. I want to just keep telling myself that they will be close by forever. And I know Ricky will be. He's a homebody and very close to everyone else. Grace though, I do not know. She will be one to travel and see the world. My only hope is that she will always come back to me."

"I will Momma."

Both women turned to see a very pale Grace. "Mom, I will always come home. Don't worry."

"Hi Sweetie." Penelope released her hand from Fran's and gently gripped Grace's closest arm. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"My head is killing me." Grace groaned. "And it feels as if every sound is multiplied by... by a very large number. Please tell me that there is still come coffee..."

"There is, but water would be much better for you Hun. Here, sit down and I'll get you a glass."

"Nah, it is alright." Grace stood up and held out a hand to stop her mom. "I can get it myself. Oh god. I swear after this I won't even touch Nonno's wine. No more alcohol. Ever." She poured herself a glass of water and sat the the table with her right hand cradling her head.

Penelope scoffed. "Yeah, I've said the same thing myself. I wish you luck Kiddo." She took a sip of her coffee. "You actually reminded me of a funny moment with your dad."

Grace perked up. "Yeah, what was it?"

"One time after I had a huge fight with Lynch, your dad came over to drink wine with me and watch movies. Well he brought wine and I already had a bottle. And you know how I am after three glasses. I think that night I had like seven or more. Enough that my memory blanked out." She gave her daughter a look. "Don't look at me like that Missy. I knew your dad. It was safe. Safer than I though actually. So, morning comes and I am half asleep and hungover when Aunt J.J. calls me into the office. While on the phone I hear someone in the shower.  
"And since I did not recall your Dad coming over I thought I was Lynch. Shower stops, I panic over the phone and your aunt J.J. leaves me to the dogs. I get off the phone with her and the someone knocks on the door. I bustle out of bed with my clothes all askew and answer it to see Lynch with a peace offering. He had stormed out. I close the door and turn around to see..." Penelope grinned at the memory. "your Dad only wearing a towel in my living room, all wet and drippy. For the entire case I thought that we... for the lack of a better word, hooked up. But, as you might have guessed nothing happened."  
She sighed. "After they got back I swore off wine, and you know how well that went."

Fran sighed wistfully. "It is a shame nothing happened that night. It would have been nice. Maybe you two would have gotten married and had more children. Don't get me wrong Grace. I love you and your brother with all my heart but I pictured Derek with a huge brood of children."

"Like the way I pictured myself but," Penelope slid an arm around Grace's shoulder and drew her in close. "I love my twinnies and would not interchange them with anything. Even if you two get to be a handful once in a while." She kissed the top of her daughter's head. "Everything happens for a reason and I like to think that we held off for so long so you two could be borne."

Grace nestled into her mother's shoulder in a futile attempt to feel better. "It still would have been nice to meet Dad."

"I know Sug. I know. But he is watching over you. I am sure of it."

"You don't know that for sure." Grace wiggled out from her mom's shoulder and glared. "So don't act or imply like you do." She got up and grabbed a mug. "To do so makes you appear arrogant."

Penelope glanced at Fran. Wordlessly telling her that this is what she was talking about when she had been voicing her concerns for Grace.  
"Calm down Sug. I wasn't trying to imply anything." She titled her head at the sound of footsteps upstairs. "Looks like your bother is up. How do you feel about going out for ribs for lunch? Fran said last night that she knows the best place in town at Dearborn Station."

"Uh." Grace covered her mouth with her hand. "Please do not mention food right now. Just the thought makes me want to throw up."

"Well dearie, if you don't feel up to is by lunch we'll go but we'll bring you back some. But I do hope you come Sug." Penelope looked hopefully at her daughter. "This vacation is to make memories and frankly I want you to be part of those memories. Lord knows this might be the last summer I have with the both of you before you take off for college and begin your lives away from me..."

"I'll try Mom. But right now... I don't even want coffee..."

"Do you need something for your tummy Grace?" Fran got up and went to a drawer on the far right of the kitchen. "I have some ginger extract that should help your stomach, here." She passed the bottle to Grace. "Take a couple and lay down. We'll check up on you before we leave. How does that sound?"

She grabbed the bottle, opened it, and popped a couple pills in her mouth. "Sounds fair. Once again. I am really sorry for yesterday. I should have known better but..." Grace bit her lip and looked around the kitchen.

"But what honey?" Penelope put her mug down. "You can tell us anything you know that, right?"

"I know... but..." Grace filled put a little bit of water in her glass and promptly swallowed. Permanently casting the ginger pills down her throat. "Never mind... I'm going back to bed." She put the glass down and sulked out of the kitchen.

Penelope watched her daughter leave, her hazel eyes clouded with concern.

/

Upstairs Grace slowly made her way to her room, but not before Ricky spotted her. "Grace."

She groaned and leaned against the wall. Careful not to knock down any of the pictures that littered the walls of the hallway. "What is it Ricky?"

"How are you feeling?"

She looked up to see her brother giving her a concerned look. "Like shit. I swear I've never been this hung over in my entire life. And I also swear I will never drink again."

"Good luck with that one Sis. But seriously, you've been off lately. And don't tell me it is nothing. Because I know when something is up and something is up." He leaned down and placed a finger under Grace's chin, and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Is it Owen? Did he do something to you? If he did I swear to god I will get a posse together and show him a world of hurt."

Grace looked down. "No, he didn't do anything. And I would appreciate it if you stayed out of my life Richard. It is not like I spend my free time prying into your life. Now, I am hungover and tired. If you excuse me I would like to be allowed to go to bed." She brushed past Ricky and made a line for her room.

"Gracie?"

His voice was so laced with worry that Grace couldn't help but pause and turn around. "Yeah?"

"Promise me you are going to be alright?"

Grace blinked back her tears in an effort to compose herself. "I'll try."

Inside the room she closed the door and leaned against the cold wood. She knew eventually she would have to tell her family. It was inevitable. But Grace wanted time to compartmentalize and wrap her mind around this before bringing it out into the open.

She still couldn't find a reason why. Despite asking day after day. Each time she was met with a wall of silence. Her mom always says everything happens for a reason but at the moment Grace's heart was in the process of being shattered and she could not see a reason why she should be feeling this amount of pain.

Grace walked to the bed and nestled herself beneath the covers. Hugging tightly she allowed herself to cry until sleep overtook her. All the while her phone sat on the side table poised to answer her questions.

/

It had been over four hours since Grace had left and Penelope was getting ready to go out with Fran and Ricky for ribs at a place called Adam's.  
She walked up to the door, her heals quiet on the carpet of the hallway. Gently Penelope pushed open the door. "Sug. Can I come in?" She waited a moment before breaking the stillness of the room. Penelope entered and sat down on the bed beside Grace.

"Sug," Her voice was barely a whisper. "I don't know what is wrong but you can tell me. You can always tell me because no matter what I will always love you." She brushed aside a strand of hair and noticed Grace had been crying. "Everything is going to be alright. Don't worry." Penelope tucked Grace in before kissing her cheek and leaving the room. Gently she closed the door and forced herself to leave her daughter in the dark room.

/

Grace stirred a little while later and reached for her phone. Instinctively she went to her messages and checked. There were a couple from Andrea, one from Kate, and three from Austin. But none from Owen. He hadn't called or texted her since... since he broke up with her while she was in San Francisco. He had done it without saying why. Not telling her what she did... or even if it was something that she did. He left her clueless.

Being this far away from Quantico right now was killing her. She loved being in Chicago with her family. But at the moment all Grace wanted to do was go home and confront Owen so she could get some answers.


	52. BBQ

_Sorry to everyone! I accidentally replaced Owen's name with Oliver. I feel like an idiot for doing so... _-_-'_ Went back and changed it in the last chapter.  
Anyways, thanks for all of you who are sticking with this story. It really means a lot that there are people out there who are enjoying this. As usual I do not own Criminal Minds._  
_In other news, who else is excited for the new episode tomorrow?!_

Penelope leaned back in the lounge chair and picked her book up. Taking the pages she opened to the place she left off at. In front of her, in the Rossi back yard, most of the BAU family were finishing a round of football while David cooked up the burgers.

"Hey Kitten," She looked up from her book at David. "having fun?"

"Yeah, though I am beginning to think bringing this thing wasn't the best idea. Should have known better." She remarked her spot and put the book back down beside her on the table. "You know David, you didn't need to do this. I would have just been happy having coffee or something with all of you."

"I know," David flipped a burger. "but we've all missed you three. And what better way to mark your first week back than a family bbq? It's a shame though that Ricky will be heading off to med camp tomorrow. Really missed having my boy here."

"And he missed being around his family. Ricky was rethinking the whole med camp idea but he knows how beneficial it will be. I'm apprehensive about letting him out of my sight, after everything that happened last year it is hard. But I know this is something he needs to do. And it is not like he will be states away... only a few hours by car.  
"My poor boy is such a homebody. He finds it hard to be away from everyone, and I find it hard to let him go. Don't know how he will cope next summer when you uproot him and Grace for their Italy trip."

"We'll manage. The both of them will be having soo much fun they will not think about home. Well, aside from their mother." He put cheese on a few of the burgers closest to being cooked. "I'll make sure of it."

"I haven't told them about the trip yet." Penelope sipped on her martini. "It's still an uber sweet secret that they have no clue about. When do you plan on telling them?"

"I don't know." A small grin crept across David's face. "Maybe it will be a nice birthday or Christmas present for them. We'll see. Now, Ricky told me in passing you met your brother while in San Francisco. How did that go?"

She smiled "Good. It was nice to see him again after all these years. And it was wonderful for the kids to meet some of my family and to see into my past." Penelope's eyes glazed over momentarily. "The whole time we spent in San Francisco made me realize how much I miss the life I had there. No matter how much I love this life and you guys. The ocean, hot summers, my parents... everything. Do you ever miss your family over in Italy?"

"Not very much. Wasn't very close to them and after my parents passed away I had no need to stay in contact with them. Most of the trip I am planning surrounds historical sights, food, and such. Only family thing I plan to show them is the villa where my father was raised."  
He plated a few burgers. "Kitten, do you want one before I call the crowd over?"

"Sure." She got up from her seat and grabbed a paper plate. Do you have a veggie burger for Jane?"

"Of course." David placed a burger on Penelope's waiting bun. "But I still think that kid is nuts for not eating meat. But then again, my opinion is that all teenagers are slightly crazy."

"Well," Spencer popped up behind them, startling David. "all teenagers do profile as sociopaths. And being the father of three girls I can safely say from observation that it is true. Especially when all of them are at the point in their cycles where they are menstruating. Hormonal withdrawal has the same symptoms as drug withdrawal, it-"

"Stop right there kid." David put a hand up. "The last thing I want to talk about before eating is..." He cringed and made a face. "menstruating."

Penelope wrapped an arm around Spencer's waist. "Remember when this guy found women a mystery? Guess living with four women has made things a little less awkward?"

"A little." He cracked a small sideways smile. "It has solved a few questions I had."

"Like what?" David smirked. "Let me guess, it opened up the mystery of sex?"

"No it did not." Spencer shrieked, glancing over worriedly at the rest of the team who were just finishing up their game. "I meant to say I was not a thirty year old virgin. I had my fair share of conquests. Like Lila for example."

Penelope grinned. "I knew it. I could tell by that smug look that you got some tail in LA. So, was she good?"

Spencer pursed his lips. "My mother always said a gentleman does not kiss and tell. And frankly, my mother raised me to be a gentleman."

"That's the thing though." Penelope poked his chest. "If what you are implying is indeed correct you did much, and I mean much, more than kiss."

"As I said. A gentleman never tells." He looked down at Penelope. "Your overactive mind will just have to spin the details itself. Hey David, if those are done I would like one."

"Sure kid. Get yourself a bun." He waited until Spencer came back and tossed a burger onto the younger man's bun. David then turned to the game being played.  
"Hey! Food's ready!"

Instantly the game was stopped and the group crowded around David. All eager for one of his famously good burgers.  
Grace stood in the back and waited her turn. Before she could get her food she felt a hand on her arm dragging her inside the house.

"What's up with you?"

She looked up at Kat with hard eyes. "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

"You've been acting... strange. Grace, you usually text Owen all the time. Or call him. Not once have I seen you do that. Hell, I haven't seen your phone ring or vibrate once. Now spill."

"I guess this is a hazard of having a family of profilers." Grace sighed and leaned against the counter. "The thing is... I don't know what is going on. One minute things between us were great. The next... the next moment he texts me to say it is over. He hasn't answered my texts, emails, or my phone calls. It's like... it's like he dropped off the face of the earth."

Kat gasped. "He did what? When? No! When did this happen?"

"The first night we were in San Francisco." Grace shook her head. "I could accept it if he would give me a reason. If there was some sort of sign... But there was nothing."

Her friend thought for a moment. "That would mean July 16th, the night after Alex Foutley's house party. I couldn't go. Papa wouldn't let any of us go... But Andrea went and I know Owen went there too with his friends. Oh, don't tell Aunt Em about Andrea. She doesn't know." Kat's eyes shot open in shock. "The day after Andrea seemed upset but wouldn't tell us anything. I just thought her date bailed on her or something. Do you think something could have happened that night with Owen?"

"I don't know." Grace clenched her jaw. "But I am going to find out." She then stalked off to find Andrea.

Andrea had just found a seat and was beginning to eat her burger when she heard someone clearing their throat behind her. She put her food down and turned around to see Grace standing with her arms crossed.  
"Spill."

"I don't know what you mean Grace."

"Alex Foutley's party. You were there, Owen was there, and the day after he broke up with me without a reason and will not talk to me. Did anything happen at that party? And keep in mind if you lie to me and I find out, I will tell your mom and you will probably be grounded until Graduation." She cocked her head to her side. "Did you do anything with him?"

Andrea grimaced.. "No. God no." She sighed and bit down on her lip. Something did happen though. Something bad. Are you positive you want to know." She placed a hand on Grace's arm. "Once you know it you can never unknow something like this."

Grace gasped. "He didn't kill anyone at the party, did he?"

"No. God no. That little weasel doesn't have the stomach for that, " Andrea shook her head. "He... again, do you really want to know?"

"Yes, now spill it." Grace leveled a glare that beckoned no resistance.

"Alright. You asked for it." Andrea began to pick at her finger nails. "I was at the party and was chatting with some girls from my chem class when I needed to go to the bathroom. Well, someone was already in the main bathroom so I decided to use the one in her parent's bedroom. I go in without knocking because I thought 'it's her parents room, who would be in there'. I wish I did knock..." Andrea shifted her feet.  
"Owen was in there... and he was with Sandy Johnston."

"Now what do you mean exactly by 'with'?" Grace clenched her jaw and squared her shoulders.

"I mean with with. As in they were having sex. Full blown sex. I ran out of the room and he followed me. I told him to tell you or I would tell you myself because the last thing any girl needs is her man cheating on her behind her back. He said he would and when you got home and were not talking to him I assumed he told you and that you did the right thing and broke it off with him."

"No. I didn't. Instead, like I said, he broke up with me without saying anything aside from 'it's over'. You are positive that you saw what you saw? That it was him and not someone else?"

"Oh I am sure. And for the life of me I wish I could unsee and unknow this. Grace, if you need help kicking his ass I will help you. I swear to god I will help you." Her heart broke as she saw Grace unraveling. "Here, let's get you home." Andrea made a move forward to hug Grace.

"No. I don't need sympathy or help." She shoved Andrea away and briskly walked to Penelope.  
"Hey Mom. Can I go home? I'm not feeling too hot."

Penelope looked at her daughter with concern. "How so? Is it your tummy or do you think you have a fever? Here, let me feel your forehead." Grace leaned down and Penelope put the back of her hand against Grace's forehead. "No. No fever. What's wrong Sug?"

"Mom," Grace cracked a small smile. "stop worrying. I think it's the heat and the football game. Laying down for a while should help. So, can I go home?"

David glanced over at the pair and tilted his head so he could better hear the conversation.

"Sure. I'll just grab my purse so I can drive you." Penelope put her martini down and began to get up.

"No you aren't." David put down his burger. "You've had a few too many martinis Kitten. I'll take Grace back home. You stay here and man the bbq while I'm gone."

"No David." Penelope protested. "This is your party. I can't have my daughter drag you away just so you can take her home. If you say I've had too many I can get Anna or Spencer to take her."

"Or I can take myself home..." Grace muttered. "I do have a learners permit..."

"It is no problem Penelope. This is not my party, I am throwing it for you and the kids. And besides, she is my granddaughter. How about it Gracie? How would you to spend a few minutes of good quality time with your Nonno?"

Grace cracked a smile. "I could never say no to you..."

/

He put the car in park outside of Penelope's house. "Alright Bambina. You and I are going inside and we are having a nice talk about what is going on with you."

"Nothings going on..." Grace unbuckled her belt and put a hand on the door. "Like I told Mom. I'm just feeling sick right now." She opened the door and got out, and briskly walked to the door.

David got out and followed her into the house. Inside he put his keys in the bowl. "Grace, you are talking to a seasoned profiler. You have to do better than that if you wanted me to believe you. Now sit." He took a seat next to her on the sofa. "What's up with you? You've been acting strange since your family got back and you have your mom and everyone else worried." David placed a hand on Grace's knee.  
"I know being a teenager is hard. I was one myself at one point... many years ago. You feel as if you are the only one that can fully understand what is going on and telling someone will make no difference. Sweetie, it will make a difference. Whatever you are going through you do not need to do it alone. We... I... am here for you. I love you Grace, you're my Granddaughter, my little Bambina. Always will be." He wrapped an arm around her and brought her head down on his shoulder.  
"And I know that you are not sick. If you were... you wouldn't have tackled Uncle Aaron so hard."

"You saw that?..." Grace sniffed. She could feel her emotions beginning to bubble to the surface.

"Of course I did. I also saw Kat tackle Ricky to get the ball. That girl is a force when she wants to be. I worry about you kids... I worry about you Grace. You try so hard to be like your father and to be your own person, all at the same time.  
"Sometimes I fear that the want to fill the void your father left will inhibit your ability to be yourself. Grace, there was only one person who could fill that void and that was Derek. Not you. Now, tell me what is going on or else I will do some more profiling. Let it out, don't be like your dad this time, don't hold it all in."

The tears that had been pricking Grace's eyes began to fall. "Owen... he broke up with me... at first I didn't know why because it came out of nowhere. I mean one moment we were fine and the next moment we weren't." She buried herself in David's shoulder. "And then tonight I find out from Andrea that he cheated on me and that is probably the reason why. Nonno... he asked me to... you know. But I didn't. I wasn't ready. He said he'd wait but he didn't." By now the tears had given way to sobbing.

"Shh..." David tenderly rubbed Grace's shoulder. "It will be alright. Owen was an idiot."

"You think so? Grace sniffed, she sat up and looked at David. Her cheeks wet with tears.

"I know so. He was an idiot not to see what a beautiful, bright, strong, and wonderful, young girl he had." David brushed a strand out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "If he couldn't wait until..." He grimaced slightly at the thought. "you were ready then he is not worth your time nor your tears. There are far better men out there waiting for the chance to be with a great girl like you."

"Thanks Nonno..." Using the back of her hand she wiped some of the tears off. "I feel a little better..."

"No problem. I should be getting back now. Will you be alright?"

Grace feigned a small smile. "Yeah. Just please... keep this between us for now. I'm not in the mood for everyone fawning over me..."

"As you wish."

An hour later Grace found herself not at home but at the park down the street. Her mind was weighing heavily on the events of the past two hours. She had gone from having a great day to finding out the boy she really liked cheated on her and broke her heart. To confessing the feelings she wanted buried deep.  
The silver lining her mom said was on every cloud did not seem to be there.  
She sat on the swing nearest to the edge of the set and swung. Her heart leaped every time she went back down and the weightlessness lifted her slightly off the seat. No matter how old she was the feeling still brought on a small feeling of danger.

She had heard gossip in the girls bathroom about girls who had been forced into sex. About girls who made the choice not to. About boyfriends who broke a relationship up over trivial things. Grace never thought she would be put in that position. She never thought she would be one of those girls who would be slighted for a choice she made. She never thought she would have been blinded to Owen's dark side.

"Thought you would be here."

Her eyes shifted to in front of her. "Yeah, so what? Aren't you supposed to still be at the bbq?"

"I wanted to see if you were alright." Henry took the seat next to Grace. "Saw you after you were talking to Andrea and you looked... upset. Somethings up with you and I'm worried."

"Really?" She stopped the seat with a foot. "How kind of you Henry. Not. No offence but I just want to be alone right now."

"Is it something that happened on vacation? Or is it Owen?" Grace turned her head away. "It is Owen. What did he do?"

Grace began to think up a lie but caved. Henry would know soon enough; once she told her mom everyone in the BAU would know. It wouldn't do her any good to lie now and have to explain herself later. "He broke my heart. I trusted him and he betrayed me... I just don't understand..." She bit her lip. "I just don't understand how someone can go from saying that they love you to cheating on you and then breaking up with you. I just don't understand."

"I don't understand how he could hurt you."

Grace looked away. "Before we left... we got into a fight. He wanted to push further, if you know what I mean... I told him no. That I wasn't ready. It was hard..." She pursed her lips. "I can't help but think that has something to do with this... I refused him so he went for the first bit of tail he could get... Do you think that is why?"

Henry clenched his jaw and tightened his grip on the chains. "It doesn't matter. He's a cheater and not worth your time. And if you want me to rough him up for you I will."

Grace scoffed. "And risk your career with the BAU? I wouldn't have you do that."

"Grace..." His tone beckoned her to look at him. "I would do anything for you. No questions. You know that. Nothing is worth seeing you cry and hurting." He wanted to say more, wanted to say that he would still wait for her. But Henry knew the situation did not call for it. And saying such things would make it worse.  
"Why don't we take you back home? Your mom will be back soon and will probably shit bricks if you aren't home."

"Alright..."


	53. I'm buying

_Thank you, everyone, for sticking with this story. And for the new readers too. I know reading through a large story can be daunting. Speaking of stories did anyone else find the last new ep awesome? Well, aside from Penelope and Derek not hooking up._  
_AWChic, I do not know how many chapters will be in the story... orgininally it was going to end after Ricky and Grace's birth... We'll see. :)_  
_Jenny, I'm trying to write in something like that, but the right moment where it flows well has not presented itself yet._  
_You are all awesome. Very, very awesome._  
_And as usual I do not own Criminal Minds._

Aaron pulled into Penelope's driveway and put his jeep in park. Reaching into the back he grabbed his gym bag and got out of the vehicle. It had been four days since Grace had told her mother, and in turn her mother telling the team, about Owen's actions.  
The team had watched Grace go through the stages of heartbreak. And now she had resolved to shutting herself in her room. Refusing to see or speak to anyone. Even her friends.

Last night he had come over after the team returned from their latest case and had to barge his way into her room.

/

"_Grace. It's Uncle Aaron. Can you open the door?"  
His words were met with a wall of silence on the other side._

_Penelope looked at him. "She's been like that for three days now... I've been bringing her food because she won't come down and eat. Aaron..." She bit her lip. "you're always soo good at talking people into what needs to be done... please work your profiler magic on my little girl..._

_"Grace, if you don't open the door I will. You know I always act on my words." He waited a moment, giving Grace the chance before turning the door nob. When he entered, Aaron was met with the smell of rotting food, unwashed humanity, and the stench of grief. The scene before him briefly transported him back seventeen years ago._  
_Aaron ignored the abuse to his olfactory nerves and the painful memory that burned in his mind. He walked towards the bed and sat down. Gently he placed a hand on Grace's shoulder._

_"Go away..." Came the horse voice._

_"You know that is not going to happen Grace." His grip tightened slightly. "I know what Owen did to you hurt you. Nothing like that should happen. But it does. You are not the first person to be slighted by a partner, to feel betrayal.  
"I know at this moment it feels as if life won't go on but it will. One day you will meet someone who you love and who in turn loves and respects you. But you will not meet them if you stay in your room."_

_She turned a tear stained face to him. "Uncle Aaron... is there something wrong with me?"_

_"No there isn't." He dried the newest tears with his thumb._

_"There must be... I've seen the girl he... that Owen... cheated on me with. She is perfect. Feminine, beautiful, confident, brainless, everything I am not... How can I compete in the world with girls like that walking around?"_

_"Grace. I know it is hard to see now, but you have more confidence than most girls your age. You know who you are and even though you do try a little too hard to be like your father... that is who you are. Frankly right now boys your age are stupid. I know I was. As was my brother, and Ricky. They are clueless to the worth of a good girl. They will chase an easy conquest rather than waiting for a good thing. But one day, most of them will grow up. And when Owen reaches that point he will deeply regret his actions. Trust me."_

_"By then I will be an old cat lady." Grace grimaced._

_Aaron smirked. "Do you like cats?"_

_"No."_

_"Then you will never be an old cat lady. By the time he realizes what a catch you were Grace, you'll be a part of the best FBI unit in the country. I am sure of it. And when that happens," His eyes glazed over. "it will be an honour to have another Agent Morgan in the BAU."_

_Grace sniffed. "Really?"_

_"Really. But," Aaron looked around the room. "if you don't shower and clean up soon I might have to rethink it. Can't have those UnSubs smelling you from a mile away." A thought sparked in his mind and a smile came across his face._  
_"I have an idea. Whenever I am in a foul mood I take a bike ride or run. Why don't we go for a ride tomorrow morning? It will help clear your head."_

_"Do I have a choice?"_

_"Not really. Either that or I will drag you out of this room."_

/  


"Grace," Penelope called up the stairs. "Uncle Aaron is here. Better get your butt down here before I send him up." She turned to Aaron. "Do you think this will help?"

"Maybe. It can't hurt. And at least it gets her out of that room and into some fresh air." He put his bag down and pulled out his water bottle. "Is Ricky still asleep?"

"Yeppers." She leaned against the back of the sofa. "That boy could sleep through the Apocalypse if it happened before noon. For twins... those two are soo very different." Her eyes softened. "I don't know how I could have gotten to this point with then without the help of everyone... I could never thank you enough for everything..."

"Penelope. Do you honestly think we were going to abandon you?"

She turned her face away and shrugged. "The thought crossed my mind a couple times. Last time someone close to me... died, my family broke apart and went their own ways. A couple of times I thought that maybe the grief would split everyone up."

Aaron walked up to her. "Look at me Penelope. We are a family and none of us would ever abandon you. Ever. Some groups do break apart in cases of extreme grief and stress but not us. The unique structure we have enables us to cleave and lean onto each other. We essentially can not function as individuals. And as for thanking us... Penelope you risked your life to give us back a part of Derek. Through Richard and Grace we have a part of him still physically with us. If anything it is us who could never thank you enough."

"I hate to ruin the tender moment... But I'm ready."

They turned to see Grace on the stairs. Dressed in a pair of shorts and a tank top, with her hair pulled back in a pony tail. "Are we going or not?"

"Yeah. Do you have a water bottle Grace? It'll get pretty warm out there before we're done."

Penelope motioned to the kitchen. "She does. Hun, go and fill up the bottle in the freezer. And did you put on sunscreen?"

"I will and no."

"The before you go we need to put some on you." She turned and looked at Aaron. "What do teenagers have against sunscreen? I hated it, Henry hated it, so did Jack. And my two don't really care for it either."

Aaron grinned at the memory of sunscreening a squirming Jack. "I think it is just the inconvenience of having to put it on every time they go outside. Or to give us parents something to gripe about.""Bet you if Spencer was here he could tell us the exact psychological reason behind it and who made the connection. I swear that kid knows everything about anything; it's a wonder he holds it in without going fully crazy."

"I know. It's a good thing for us. He's a very valuable part of the team. I do not know what the BAU will do when he eventually retires... Speaking of which, Strauss will be making her official announcement in September and I'll be offered her job."

"Are you going to take it?" Penelope's voice was laced with worry. She found it hard to picture a world where the title Unit Chief didn't mean Aaron Hotchner. "I mean you totally should if that is what you want... And this time I will not stop your files... I promise."

"I'm not sure. It will mean less field work which will be good for my body." He arched and stretched his back. "It can't do half of the things it used to. But, I am not sure how I would fit into Erin's job. She has more to deal with than us in regards to pleasing the brass and playing the political games."

"Well, Boss Man." Penelope stepped forward. "Even though I am scared at the thought of not having you at the head of our excellent team... I think you would be great as Section Chief. Hell, I think you'll do better than her because you have more compassion, more empathy, more... humanity. I mean she has been much, much, better since rehab but still. You can tell that she has a huge chip on her shoulder."

"I know what you mean. And I've already started scouting replacements for Emily so she can be moved up to 2IC, and for Alex in case she does retire this year. Guess who I have in mind?"

"Seaver. No. She is with another unit and I doubt they would let her go..." Penelope bit her lip and ran through a mental list of names in her hear. "Todd? No, please not Todd."

"Relax. It is not Todd. It's Ellie Spicer. Turns out her brush with Flynn made her want to become a hunter of serial killers, not one herself. She graduates from the academy in the fall and is at the top of her class." Aaron sighed. "Derek would have been proud of her progress."

"I know he would have. He always had a special spot for troubled children but Ellie... she was special to him. I used to send her letters after... and she used to reply. But five or so years ago they stopped. I figured she moved on and was doing better. I'm glad I was right."

"I'm surprised you didn't track her down. It seems... uncharacteristic of you."

"Aaron." Penelope cocked her head. "I don't need to keep tabs on everyone at all times. Just those closest to me. Of course I checked up on Ellie every now and then to see that nothing bad happened to her. But I figured it would be best to, for the most part, leave her alone."

"Let me guess, you have a watch on my name?"

"Of course. Along with David's, J.J.'s, Henry's, Will's, and everyone else. What do you expect? Elle gets shot, Spencer gets kidnapped, Emily is mortally wounded and 'killed', there was the crazy replicator stalker, Derek was murdered, and Alex's husband, or whatever he was, went all psycho. I need to know if someone is planning something that could harm you guys."

"And what have you found so far? Anyone hunting us?"

"Well," She smirked. "lots of young women adore the whole broody cranky man thing you have going on. But thankfully no crazy people are after you, or anyone else on the team. If Ellie does join the team then I will have to put a marker on her name."

"Penelope, I don't know how the team will function when you retire. It will be a sad day..."

"Hey, if you two are done I'm ready to go." Grace leaned against the door frame. "I have water and just put on sunscreen," She lifted the full bottle to show it. "so, unless I am forgetting something I think it is time to go."

"That's my girl." Penelope walked over and hugged Grace. "It is nice to see you acting somewhat normal again."

Grace struggled out of her mother's arms. "Stop it. You're messing up my ponytail."

"Sorry Sug." Penelope drew back and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Go and have fun. Get some colour back into those cheeks of yours."

"Yes Mom."

/

Grace stopped at a red light, thankful for the break. Though her lungs ached she was enjoying herself. The rain from last night created a wonderful scent as it evaporated off the pavement and a nice breeze from the west made the morning summer sun a little more bearable.

"What's the matter Morgan? Tired?" Aaron pulled up beside her.

"Just a little. But I can go on." She gripped her handlebars and smiled. "You're right Uncle Aaron. This was a good idea. I feel so free... so energetic... so alive."

"Good." Aaron glanced at the light then turned his attention back to Grace. "Listen, I know what is happening right now might appear to be one of the worst moments of your life but trust me, there will be worse moments ahead of you. The best you can do right now is learn from this time and use it when those moments come."

Grace rolled her eyes. "I should have known that this would have come with a lecture. With all due respect Uncle Aaron, I just want to let loose and forget. So could we save the lecture for another day? Perhaps tomorrow?"

"Sure." Aaron glanced up at the light and saw it turn green. "That is a reasonable argument. Now, if you excuse me I will see you at the next stop."

"No fair. You distracted me!" Grace quickly positioned herself on her bike and began chasing after her uncle. Like hell she was going to let him get ahead of her. "Get back here!" Her lungs make have burned for more air, her legs may have begged for her to stop. But Grace was a Morgan. And Morgans never, ever, gave up.

/

Aaron pulled out the kickstand and leaned against a tree to wait for Grace. She may have thought she could beat him here but he had far more hours of practice than she and had trained in endurance. Smiling, he thought back to the bike rides he used to have with Beth.

Most days she was a foggy memory at the back of his mind. Others days, like today, he caught himself wondering about the what ifs. What if he had moved himself and Jack to New York. Would things have worked out with her? Would they have gotten married? Had more children?

He shook his head and banished the thoughts. Aaron knew he made the right choice all those years ago. Jack needed him, he needed all that his father could give him. Raising Jack and making sure he turned out to be a good young man was his payment to Haley. He knew that nothing he would do would fully take away his guilt or fully thank his soul mate for her sacrifice.

But when he saw Jack on the stage at his graduation from university, Aaron's loyalty to Jack's mother grew ten fold. He knew that even though his debt could never fully be paid, dedicating his life to their son had been the best way of trying.

And the team was here. They were his family. Jack's family. Aaron could never have pulled Jack from the stable environment the team gave, and Haley's sister. And as for stable female relatives... between Penelope, Jessica, J.J., Emily, and Alex, Aaron was sure not many other boys had that many strong female role models to look up to. Each one came with a different personality and background.

Sure, their lives were not the usual and their family structure was a bit... liberal, but it is what made the team function as a whole and as individuals. Each of them understood better than most how hard it was to leave their families for long periods of time. How difficult it was to see people disemboweled, disfigured, dishonoured. How it felt to have their loved ones put in the cross hairs of danger and how hard it was to accept sometimes that despite their best efforts loved ones would be hurt and possibly killed because of their work  
Even if he wanted to, Aaron knew he could never fully leave the BAU. He was tied to the team as the team was tied to him.

Aaron cracked a smile when he saw Grace's bike peak over the hill. She may not look take after one parent more than the other like her brother, but Grace had every ounce of Derek's determination and her mother's stubborn nature. With a bit of training she would make an excellent profiler when the time came.  
"I was wondering when you would get here."

Grace leaned, exhausted, on her handlebars. "Uncle, please, this is no time to be a smart ass."

"Who is being a smart ass?" He smirked. "You are supposed to be the pro athlete here. I'm just an old fogey profiler."

"I go for brute strength." Grace huffed. "Not endurance like biking. I really need to improve... can we do this more... more often Uncle? You know, make this a tradition?"

"Sure. Saturday mornings when I am home we can go for a bike ride. But I have a suggestion for this new tradition. I propose that after we are finished, we go to the ice cream shop for banana splits. Just you and I. How does that sound?"

It was Grace's turn to smirk. "Sounds good, but will that not negate the bike ride?"

"A little. But one needs to spoil themselves a bit. You especially." He kicked the stand back up and held his bike. "You work hard and deserve to have a little something nice every now and then."

"If you say so." Grace shrugged. "But you are buying."

/

_"I assume you aren't trick or treating either?"  
_  
_"None of my treats want to call me back, Rossi."_

_"Then I'm buying dinner."_

_"I'm in."_

/

"Uncle Aaron?" The voice snapped him out of his flashback. "Earth to Uncle Aaron?"

"What?" He blinked hard.

"You were just staring off into space and suddenly you... you giggled." Grace cocked her head. "What were you thinking of?"

"Just something from the past. So, Roger's for the ice cream?"

"Sure." Grace slid off her bike and took her helmet off. Reaching behind she let her ponytail down so the soft breeze could blow through her hair and hopefully take some of the sweat off. "Hey Uncle Aaron." She gripped onto her handlebars and began to push her bike. "Thank you. For everything. I know that Ricky and I don't say it enough but we really do love you."

Aaron took one hand from his bike and wrapped it around Grace while they walked. "I love you too, both you and your brother." In that moment he knew that though Grace's heart may be broken she would rise from this and would be stronger.

He didn't know how many challenges Grace and her brother would face in life. Aaron could not help but wish the impossible: he wished that he could protect them and all the other children from every danger they would face, every hurtle they would have to jump, and every other challenge that would stand in their ways.  
But he knew the best he could ever do would be to offer help and support while stepping back and letting the children right their own battles and chose their own paths.


	54. Lessons

_Gah! Sorry for the long wait. The regular we had doing graveyard was sick. So guess who filled in? Anyways. Thank you again for the awesome, amazing, and downright wonderful reviews. They are awesome and on those long lonely nights at work they bring a smile to my face. AWChic: 2IC stands for Second in Command. And Aaron's job change was hinted at in the chapter Road Trip. :) And btw, you and everyone else who reviews is awesome._  
_As usual I do not own Criminal Minds._

In the early hours of the morning, when he thought that no one but him occupied the BAU's floor of the FBI's Qauntico office, Aaron busied himself by cleaning out his former office. He slid the last of his books into the cardboard box and sighed. His eyes looked around at the bare walls, the empty book shelve, and the desk which was now void of pictures and paperwork. He had spent over two decades in this office and now found it hard to disconnect himself from the memories floating in his mind.

Years ago when Aaron had decided that he belonged to the BAU and not with another department he had been told that none of his team, including himself, would move up in the FBI. He had sworn then that his place had been with the BAU. But now that he was older and his body less inclined to the physical demand of field work the thought of a desk job with the chance of minimal time in the field seemed the better choice. A more logical choice.

He wasn't the only one moving up. J.J. would be taking his place and in turn Emily would be taking J.J.'s place. Ellie would be taking Emily's desk in the bull pen, and Alex would be filling the role as Media Liaison for a short time until she decided if she wanted to retire or stay a bit longer.

The shuffling of positions made the threat Erin made those many years ago seemed less valid.

"Are you ready?"

He looked up to the door to a grey haired Erin Strauss standing in the doorway of his now former office. "Almost." He leaned back on his desk. "Leaving this office is very... bittersweet. I'm pretty sure that over the years I've spent more time here than home..." He blinked hard. "At times I think I should have spent more time with Jack but..."

"You are a terrific father Aaron. And Jack is testament to that; he has turned out to be a wonderful young man. Haley would have been proud." Erin took a tentative step into the office. "I am sure Jack understood why you couldn't be home as much as other fathers."

"I hope so."  
Aaron ran a hand through his speckled hair. "It's just... it feels strange to leave this office."

"I know. But you will not be far. You will be just down the hall."

"I'm aware of that. I just worry for the team." Aaron's eyes darted around the office. "What if one of them is hurt... or worse? What if something happens to them because I am not there?"

"Oh get off your high horse." Erin sat down on the couch. "They are big kids now and are more than capable of taking care of themselves and each other. You taught them well, all of them. Agent Spicer is fitting in well and I have no doubt that Agent Jareau will do a fine job at filling your shoes. They will be fine and I am sure on the days where you will not be able to leave your office to check on them, and believe me there will be days like that, Detective Garcia will personally bring you updates on what is happening."

Aaron smiled. "I have no doubt that she will. Erin, I've always known she is not one to accept change but... I can see now that she isn't the only one. I've spent over two decades, a lifetime to some, in this office with most of my team right outside in the bull pen. It is hard to leave them here, even with J.J. as their team leader.  
"I know she will be a good leader. Certainly spent enough years grooming and preparing her. But it will not prevent me from worrying about them when they are without me."

"Aaron. They will be fine. I know you worry and considering Agents Greenaway, Prentiss, and Morgan I do not blame you. But," She got up from the couch, walked over, and gave Aaron a hard look. "you need to let go sometime. And now, with your bad back, you are more of an asset to your team here. Accept that this is happening and it will not seem so bad. And if you have trouble adjusting I urge you to talk to Detective Garcia. Find out her coping mechanisms for when the team goes away for a case."

"I will." He took one final look at the bare walls and empty room before picking the last box up.

"Ready to go?" Erin asked, her tone soft. She knew how hard this was for her former subordinate. The pain was written on his face. It had mixed itself in with the marks of age and years of stress.

"Yes." He took one last glance before following Erin out. "I know I should be surprised to see you here this early but oddly enough I am not."

She turned her eyes to the man beside her. "Couldn't sleep last night so I figured to come in early and get the office ready for you. Aaron, your life is not the only one changing today." Erin let out a gentle laugh. "I don't know what I will do with my spare time now. Now that I won't be riding your ass I will surely have a lot of it."

"You weren't that bad."

She sighed. "I was. In the beginning I was very hard on you and your team. Too hard. And hiring Agent Prentiss to spy on you... I can see now that was out of line. You are a find leader and a good man. And though, as you said, Agent Jareau will be a fine leader... I know the team will never be the same without you."  
Erin paused outside of her former office. "Here we are. It's been cleaned out and if you want the walls painted you have approval from the board."

"Good." Aaron took a deep breath before crossing the threshold. He glanced at the light purple walls. "I'll call the painters on Monday." Gently he placed the box of pictures down on his new desk. "This is really happening, isn't it?"

"Yes it is." Erin's eyes misted over as she looked around her own empty office. "Now, the board is going to be talking to you Monday morning at nine, then the unit chiefs sans Agent Jareau will be meeting with you, and remember if the brass gives you any flak on minor issues ignore them. They like to hear themselves talk. And," She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "remember that you will do fine here."

"Thank you Erin."

"No, thank you Aaron." She pushed back her swelling emotions. "Thank you for not letting me push you our of your position, for coming back after everything, for carrying your team through the worst storms, for getting me the help I needed, and for being an exceptional Unit Chief. If you have any, and I mean any questions, David has my number."  
Erin took one final look at her former office and the new section chief before walking out one final time.

/

Grace gulped and looked at the imposing doors of the school. Inside would be the multitude of students she shared the building with. Including Owen. She hadn't seen him since she went on her family's road trip. She didn't know how the day would go.

"Nervous?"

She turned to her brother who was faithfully at her side. "A little..."

"Don't be. If you are then he wins."

"Ricky... this will be the first time I will see him since... since he broke up with me. What if I balk, panic, what if I act like a total dweeb?"

"Grace," He placed a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed it. "are you not the only girl on the football team? Are you not one of the top physics students? And are you not the daughter of one of the best FBI agents who ever existed?"

She smiled sheepishly. "...Yes. I am."

"Then have more faith in yourself. If anyone needs to be worried about looking like a 'total dweeb' it is Owen. Now, let's go in there and begin one more year of high school hell."

Grace took out a binder from her backpack before putting the bag in her locker. She sighed and opened the binder to check what class she had first. Physics. Perfect. She would be starting the year off with her best subject.

"Hey Morgan." She glanced up to see Bobby McKinney.

"Hey yourself McKinney. What's up?" She shut her locker and positioned her binder in her right arm.

"Nothing much. Just needed to get my stuff for first period. I have Mr. Holber for biology. Totally stoked for it. My brother had him two years ago and said the fetal pig dissection was awesome.  
"Hey, check it out," He opened his locker. "our lockers are right next to each other."

"What do you know. This means no more skipping practice Bobby. 'Cause I will know where to find you." She playfully shoved him. "You are going to be on the team again, right?"

"Of course. Wouldn't have it any other way. You?"

Grace shrugged. "If Coach will have me on the team again I would love to."

Bobby picked the supplies he needed and shut his door. "Of course he would. You're half the reason we did soo well last year. No, scratch that, you are 75% of the reason we did soo well last year." He casually wrapped his arm around Grace's shoulders and led her down the hall. "I know he had certain reservations last year but I am pretty sure that you shattered them. Anyways. I gotta go. Meeting the guidance counselor before home room. I want to get advice on what colleges to apply to." Bobby dropped his arm to his side.

Grace leaned against the wall. "You're graduating this year, aren't you?"

"Yep. June I get to leave this hole for something more. I'm thinking of going to a college on the west coast... Maybe California? Beaches, babes, sun... and there has to be one college that has an awesome marine biology program. How could I ask for anything more?"

"You could ask for more brains." She smirked.

"Hey Morgan, that was uncalled for." Bobby pouted. "You know I'm bright. I may not be Miss Top of my Physics Class, but I am not a dumb jock."

"You're right. Now scram before you are late for your meeting."

"Will do." He threw Grace a mock salute. "See you around Morgan."

Grace couldn't help but smile as Bobby walked away. He was the definition of the perfect man: sweet, nice, smart, cute. Everything most girls would want. She thought how much of a pity is was that she didn't fall into the category of being like most girls.

"What was that?"

The familiar voice broke her from her mind's thoughts. Grace whirled around to see Owen glaring at her. "What do you mean, Owen?" Her voice dripped with anger.

"That." He took a step forward. "Why were you all chummy with him?"

"He's a friend. You know that. Or at any rate you should."

Owen smirked. "Are you sure he is just a friend?"

"I am sure." She squared her shoulders and narrowed her eyes. "And after the stunt you pulled you have no right to stick your beak of a nose into my life."

"What stunt?" He grunted. "I did nothing."

"Really?" Grace stepped closer to him. "So... you didn't fall into bed with Sandy and cheat on me with her? With the school skank?"

Owen's gaze hardened. "Hey, Sandy is a perfectly nice girl. If anyone is a skank it's you. You're the one who goes around kissing an older boy she calls her cousin. Yeah. You didn't think I would eventually find out? I knew there was something between you two. The way he looked at you was... disgusting."

She clenched her jaw. By now a small crowd had formed around them. "That... that was before we started dating and it was a total mistake. I haven't touched him and he hasn't touched me since. And honestly Owen... you were the one I liked, the one I wanted to be with, the one who... who I trusted. Not him. But of course I love him. But not in _that_ way." She mentally took back the lie as soon as it crossed her lips.

"But he does. I saw it. My mom was right about you Grace Morgan. You are nothing but a little harlot who just wanted me for convenience. I can see now why you never said you loved me... your heart was taken by him." He snarled. "God you and your whole weird family disgusts me."

Before Owen could say another word and before Grace could unleash her rage a blur flew past her and knocked the boy onto the lockers.

"Owen." Ricky glared. "My sister is one of the nicest girls you will ever, and I mean ever, meet. And she actually liked you, though I do not see why. You're slimy, disgusting, a liar, a coward, and a sleazeball. Instead of confessing that you are a cheating scumbag you broke up with her without so much as hinting at the reason. And then you try to pin the blame on her? No. That doesn't sit with me. Do you know how much you hurt her? I doubt that. Do you even care? Again, I doubt that.  
"Now, I may not be a 200lb football player but guess what? After the guys on the team get whiff of this they will beat you senseless, or beat some sense into you. Depending on how you view the situation. Now I suggest you leave before you make this worse for you. Got it?"

"Whatever man." Owen ripped himself from Ricky's grasp. "You and your freak family can do whatever you please. I'm done." He gave one final glare before stalking off.

Ricky turned to Grace. "Are you alright?"

She stared at him in shock. "Ricky... I have never... seen you act like that. Where... how..."

"You're my sister." He shot her a warm smile. "I couldn't just stand aside and let him insult you like that." He closed the gap between them to block out the gawking people. "I know you could have whooped his ass if you wanted to, but it would have only gotten you expelled. And Mom would kill you if that happened. Not to mention you would get a half hour lecture from Uncle Spencer on how education shouldn't be squandered or a similar speech."

"Ricky, thanks." She leaned into his chest and rested her head. "I just can't believe he said all of that... that he was so... so... so mean."

He wrapped his arms around his sister. "I could see it happening. He's the jealous paranoid type and I think if he had his way... Owen would have you shut up in a tower all by yourself."

"Just like Rapunzel?"

"Yes. Like Rapunzel."

She sniffed. Holding back her emotions was proving to be hard. "But she had a prince charming. Where is my prince charming?"

"Grace, you're so strong of a woman that you don't need a man defending you. I know how that sounds seeing what just happened... but like I said... your way would have gotten you into more trouble than he's worth." He rubbed her back. "If Kat and I ever have a daughter... I want her to be as strong as her Aunt Grace."

"You mean it?"

He smiled. "Of course I do. Now, the bell will ring in exactly three, two, one..."

Grace laughed and took herself out of Ricky's arms. "Bro, you are one weird ass boy."

"And you wouldn't have me any other way." He began to lead Grace away from the diminishing crowd and towards their home room.

"Well... I may want to make you a little more stronger, a little more faster, a little more better."

"And what?" Ricky smirked. "Make me into the three million dollar teenager?"

/

"Grace, this idea sounds a little unconventional. Are you sure you want to do this?"

She sat on the edge of her desk in the physic's room. "Yeah. I'm sure. If I want to get into the BAU one day I need to have a specialty. Bombs and explosives seems like a logical choice not to mention exciting. And if I want to study bombers I think I should have an understanding of the devices and chemicals, and how they can be used and defused."

Mrs. Anderson took off her glasses. "Alright. I will talk to the principal and the head of the chemistry department and see what I can do. I can argue that it is better for you to do this in a controlled environment than by yourself. But if this happens I would want to suggest a few more experiments that might help your future career choice.  
"Let's work with electricity; I understand from my husband that there has been a few cases the BAU have worked on that have involved electrocution. And also I think you should work on identifying different chemical burns and effects. It might go a long way in making you stand out."

"Sounds good. Can we talk more in a couple days?"

"Sure." Mrs. Anderson began escorting Grace out. "I should have an answer by then. In the meantime work out a schedule on when we can work together. I'll try my best to tailor my schedule to yours."

"Thank you Mrs. Anderson... this really means a lot to me." She took her backpack off the hook by the door. "I'll have everything ready for you."

"Good, and if you don't mind me asking... is there anything else you are looking to specialize in?"

"Sex crimes. But," She slid the bag onto her back. "I am saving that for college. A friend of my Mom, Elle, sent me a list of classes that I should take at Yale. In the meantime I am sure that blowing stuff up, football practice, and school... will keep me more than occupied."

Mrs. Anderson opened the door. "Keep in mind this is not a done deal. I still need approval for this."

"I know. But I've seen you stand up to Mrs. Kelley. I don't doubt she'll be able to say no. It's like my Aunt J.J. and Auntie Em. They can never, ever, say no to each other. Which will be interesting now seeing how Aunt J.J. is now the head of the BAU."

"I know. You're going to have to tell me whatever gossip you hear from your mom. Anyways, it is time for you to go; Penelope will be worried about you."

Grace shrugged. "She knows where I am. I called and told her before coming here."

"Do you need a ride home Hun?"

"No, but thanks." She flashed a smile before leaving the room.

She opened the large doors and walked outside the school. The sight that presented itself before her caused Grace to stop and laugh.  
Tied to the flagpole in nothing but his underwear was Owen.

"Grace! Can you untie me? Please?"

Grace opened her mouth to say no but the story of how the same thing happened to uncle flashed in her mind. It was a story that always tugged at her heart. Uncle Spencer was such a nice, kind, loving soul... It was hard for Grace to picture someone tying him up naked and leaving him there.  
Her conscience wouldn't let her leave Owen. Even if he did deserve it.

"Fine." She walked up and began working on the ropes holding him to the pole. Grace smiled as she recognized some of the knots. Ricky was right. Last year's team had indeed exacted their revenge on Owen.

"Thanks Grace. The team jumped me after gym class. I didn't see it coming. Next thing I know I'm here... almost naked." He wriggled his hangs free from the slackened rope and rubbed his wrists. "God that was humiliating..."

"As humiliating as being called a harlot in front of half the school?" She stood back and glared. "You know, that was so not cool."

"Yeah..." He sheepishly looked at the ground. "I'm sorry Grace. I don't know what came over me... I know this may sound... odd, but can we try to be friends? Can we try to get back to where we were? I miss you..."

"No. Never." She began to turn around but stopped. An idea popped into her head. "But you can walk me home. If that is alright?" Grace batted her long eyelashes seductively.

"Sure... Just let me put my clothes back on..." He grabbed his clothes from the base of the pole and began putting them on. Turning redder and redder by the moment. "Again. I am soo sorry for what I did and what I said. Like you stated it really wasn't cool."

"Forget about it. Now, come on. I need to get going." She looked at him sweetly and beckoned Owen to walk with her to the outskirts of the school, and the off school property. "You know Owen... there's been something I've been wanting to do with you for a while now but have been too shy to do it..."

"Yeah, what is that?" He smiled hopefully. Oblivious at the sudden change in Grace's behaviour.

"This." She grabbed his shirt, threw him against the fence, and dealt him a good hard punch to the face before kneeing him in the balls. "That is what you get for calling me a slut, for cheating on me, and for insulting me. Do you honestly think we could ever go back to the way things were? Do you think I could partner with you in classes and not spend the entire project time wanting to rip your slimy balls off? That I could ignore every underhanded thing you have done? No. Never. Not in a million years. And here is one more thing for you to ponder as I am walking away, for good. If you ever call me a slut again I will personally have my mom send your computer back to the stone age. Back to Windows XP. Got it?"  
Grace released him and smiled as Owen crumpled on the ground. Groaning and moaning.

"And that is why you don't mess with this Baby Girl!"


	55. Spencer's Horror

_I finally get to post this chapter! Wrote it two, two(!), weeks ago and have been putting it aside. Oh, soo sorry about the wait though... I got distracted by devianART and the funny CM memes on it. But thank you guys for sticking with this and through the waiting periods. You are all awesome and deserve a virtual pat on the back or virtual cookies! And Kim, the temps here are finally in the single digits! Yay!_  
_As usual I do not own CM, though I would love to._

Spencer dropped his go-bag on the floor and hung his keys up. "Jane, Bridget, Kat? Are any of you home?" Spencer sighed in relief when he realized that he had the house to himself. He knew Anna had gone to Texas yesterday to visit her mom and upon hearing a silent house had come to the conclusion that his girls must be over at a friend's house. Emily had mentioned on the flight to New Mexico that the girls would be having a sleepover at her house while they were working the case. In half an hour, when his mind was back home and not at work, he would call and check up on his girls.

He loosened the tie, slipped it off, and tossed the item of clothing on the sofa; his jacket soon joined it. Spencer clung onto the rails and climbed the stairs to his room. The case in New Mexico turned out to be a hard one for the team; the UnSub had been using her daughter to help her find the perfect breeder. Once discovering her breeders were less and willing to copulate with a crazy woman she castrated and stabbed the restrained men to death, and continued stabbing after death. After she calmed down and came back to reality, she and her young daughter wrapped the bodies up and dumped them in the desert. Leaving their corpses for the scavengers. Four bodies had accumulated before they eventually apprehended the woman; J.J. said there might be more bodies yet to be found.  
On cases like this Spencer found himself missing Morgan and his expertise on obsessional crimes. The team would have been able to close this case much sooner with his help and in turn save more lives. He glanced at a photo on the wall at the top of the stairs. It had been taken many years ago at J.J. and Will's wedding. The entire team, sans Alex who wasn't part of the team at the time, were smiling at the camera. Seeminly unaffected by the pain and horror they constantly bore witness too; and blissfully unaware of the personal pain they would have to deal with in a couple short years from then.  
Spencer sighed and ran a hand over the glass. Despite it being almost two decades he still found his heart aching for the man who was like an older brother to him. His heart never fully healed from seeing Derek die in front of him and at times Spencer could still see the blood on his hands.  
"I still miss you..."

The flight home, just like the case, had been hard on Spencer. It seemed to take an eternity to return to Quantico.  
His body was no longer that of a young man and had been making Spencer well aware of the fact. The leg which was shot soo many years ago ached from the stress of the case and his back protested the hard hotel bed he had spent three nights sleeping on.  
His mind spoke sweetly to him; beckoning him to pop a couple painkillers. But Spencer didn't dare. After his dilaudid addiction Spencer made sure to avoided all forms of painkillers. He risked his job and his life once with his addiction; it would not happen again.

He groaned as another spasm of pain shot up from his leg. All Spencer wanted at the moment was to change into his pajamas and sit down with a book while drinking his pumpkin tea, and maybe later he would take a nice long bath.  
J.J. had tried to get him to go out for drinks with the rest of the team but right now he just wanted to enjoy this rare, precious, moment alone.

He made his way down the hall. Past Jane's room, then Bridget's, and finally past Kat's door. He paused. There were muffled noises coming from within which caused his body to stiffen with concern. She wasn't supposed to be home. "Kat?" He gently knocked on the door. "Katherine? Are you in there?" When there was no response he slowly opened the door with one hand while the other went to his gun. "Katherine, if you are ho-"

"Papa!"

His heart stopped at the sight before him. His daughter, his little girl, his baby girl, was naked, in bed, with Ricky. Who also lacked clothes. "Wha... how... why..." As the pair scrambled for their clothes the realization of what had happened seeped into Spencer's mind. Anger began building up; replacing the initial shock.

"Richard Derek Morgan! You... you... you have violated my daughter!"

"I am soo sorry Sir." Ricky struggled to do his jeans up. "Sir. I cannot begin to tell you how so-"

"You, quiet." Spencer shook with anger. "Katherine. I want you to stay up here while I go downstairs and kill Ricky. Or castrate him. Whatever pleases me."

Ricky's blood drained from his face. "Kill... castrate..." He grabbed his shirt and sweatervest, and ran for his life and his manly bits. "Gotta go. I'll see you later Kat!"

"Oh no you won't! Richard! Get your scrawny ass back here." Spencer glared at Kat. "You're grounded. We'll talk more later."  
He took off after Ricky.  
"When I catch you, you will pay!"

/

Ricky slammed the door shut and sighed in relief. He made it home. Alive.

"Sug, what's the matter? It looks like you've run a few blocks straight."

"Mom... I... Uncle Spencer..." His eyes widened when someone knocked on the door. "Oh crap."

Spencer beat his fists against the door. "Penelope. I know that weasel is in there. Let me in so I can kill him. Or I will knock this door down. I may not be built but I can do it."

Penelope gave her son a mixed look of confusion and concern. "Son, I have no clue what you have done but you had better get your butt upstairs." She waited for Ricky to be upstairs and safe in his room before slowly opening the door. "Spencer, stop right there and calm down. There is no way I am letting you kill my son."

"But..." Spencer panted. "he... I saw him... Penelope, he violated my daughter. I caught them in bed, together, naked. And you know with my memory I will never be able to forget it. I need to kill him to exact payment for his actions. Or at least castrate him. Oh please let me castrate him." He tried to squeeze through into the house but Penelope blocked him.

"Nope. I want at least one grandchild from him."

"No!" Spencer whined. "Please do not mention grandchildren, not now. Please, let me in. I can smell the little bastard." He growled. Baring his teeth like an angry beast.

"Not until you calm down and stop threatening to kill or maim my son. He did nothing wrong."

"But.. but," Spencer sputtered. "he violated my daughter. He... he... he mounted her and violated my most pure and wonderful Katherine!"

"Shhh." She put a hand up to stop his tirade. "How old is Kat?"

"15..."

"And how old is Ricky?"

"16..."

"So only a years difference, give or take a few months. How long have they known each other?"

"All their lives." He looked towards the stairs, eager to run up them.

"And they have been dating for how long?"

"About a year. Honestly, it would be easier for both of us if you just let me hurt him. A little bit. I will even leave him intact for you." He bartered.

"No. He is a good boy and you shall not pass. Now, did they use protection?"

Spencer shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know..."

"Oh come on." Penelope leaned against the door frame. "You can't tell me that you couldn't have seen a condom wrapper or something?"

"Alright, alright." Spencer ran a hand through his hair. "Make me relive the horrible moment why don't you. I saw.. a... a... a condom wrapper on the bedside table."

"So they were responsible. Nothing wrong with that."

"But... but... like I said Penelope, he violated Kat. I trusted him, let her date him, and this is what happens. I go away for a few days for a case and come back to find her... with him... in bed." He looked at Penelope. "Do you know how that feels? Seeing your little girl with a... naked boy in her bed!"

"No I do not. And honestly Spencer, as long as she used protection and was with someone she trusts, I would trust my daughter like you should trust Kat. Now, Spencer. Do you not agree that my son is a good man?"

"Up until today. Yes. I would have agreed that he was a very fine young man. But after this, I doubt that opinion. After today I would say he was a little horndog who is only out for one thing."

"Spencer, you know that is not true. If he only wanted one thing they would have done this looong before. But you agree that there would be worse people for Kat to have sex with?"

"Ah!" He covered his ears. "Don't mention that word to me! At least not in the same sentence as her name!" He sighed. "Alright. I will not harm or kill Ricky. Just please stop asking me these things. Let me in so I can at least talk to him..."

"Ok." She opened the door and let Spencer inside; Penelope made sure to keep herself positioned between Spencer and the stairs. Her eyes bore into him, trying to predict his next move. "You sit on the couch and don't move. I'll get my son for you." She looked up the stairs; thankful Grace had come home early to work on her school work. "Grace, I need you to come down for a minute and watch your Uncle Spencer."

The girl trudged down the stairs. "I was soo close to finishing my chem project, this had better be good."

"Watch your Uncle Spencer." She glanced at her friend. "If he moves, feel free to put him in a sleeper hold. It is vital to your brother's health that you do not let him move until I come back down. Ok?"

"Alright." Grace sat down across from Spencer and glared. "Move and I will break you."

/

Penelope knocked and opened the door to Ricky's room. "Sug. I need you to come down for a minute to talk to Uncle Spencer." She almost laughed when she saw him cowering in the corner of his room. To her this whole situation had been blown out of proportion. "He just wants to talk."

"No he doesn't. He wants to kill me or take my balls away. Either way I come out worse." He ran his hair over his hair. "Mom, I love Kat, you know that right?"

"Of course I do. But I also know that your Uncle Spencer is now scarred for life. Imagine not being able to forget anything." She hugged her boy. "But I did convinced him not to kill OR castrate you. But, my boy, you need to go down and talk to him. You know, try to smooth things over a bit. Convince him that you are looking out for Kat's best interests, like he is. But do not say anything to remind him that you are having sex with her."

"Of course." Ricky gulped, straightened his sweatervest, took a deep breath, and went downstairs with his mother.  
He sheepishly looked at Spencer. "Hi..."

His uncle looked at him, no longer with rage but with hurt. "Hello Richard."

"You two hash it out. Grace and I will be in the kitchen. And Spencer," Penelope threw him her best 'mom' look. "if you hurt my baby I will break you in two. Got it?"

"Yes. Don't worry..."

"Good." Penelope left, leaving Spencer and Ricky alone.

The air hung thickly around them and the silence loudly announced the awkwardness of the situation.

Ricky was the first to break the stillness in the room. He cleared his throat and tried to speak as eloquently as he could. "Uncle Spencer... I love Katherine with all my heart."

"So do I..." Spencer rung his hands. "I love her too..."

"I know that Uncle Spencer. And I know you have her best interests at heart, as do I. I want to make her happy and you know I will do anything to make her happy. Anything."

"I know. And I want her happy too but..." Spencer's voice cracked. "Richard, she is my little girl. She is my baby... Or at least she was..." He snorted. "she's clearly not a little girl anymore."

"But that doesn't mean she has stopped seeing you as a hero. She still looks up to you Uncle Spencer." Ricky dared to lean forward, careful to put a hand over his genitals to protect them from a possible attack. "Kat works so hard to impress you, and to make you proud of her. She loves you. And I know her seeing you broken like this will make her hurt. And you don't want to do that, do you?"

"You've already hurt her..." Spencer cringed as he recalled the memory. "I saw... saw the blood... Oh god I wish I could unsee it." He banged his fist against the coffee table, causing Ricky to jump. "Sometimes I really hate this mind. It absorbs everything and releases absolutely nothing!"

"Uhh..." Ricky rubbed the back of his neck. "I uh... I mean she... Uncle Spencer... it was our first time... That is why there was... blood..." Right then Ricky wanted to crawl into a hole. And die. "We haven't done it before..."

Spencer's jaw dropped. "You mean... I walked in on... you taking my baby's innocence?" His eyes began to cloud over with rage again. "Richard..."

"Calm down Uncle Spencer. You know I treat Kat well. You know I love her. You know I wouldn't do anything that she didn't want, that she would not consent to." He began to panic. "I love her... I love her soo very much. And I will protect her. She needs someone to protect her when you are away..."

"You are a Morgan." Spencer growled. "Your father put dozens of notches in his belt. What's to say that my Katherine will not just be the first of many..."

Ricky raised his hands in defense. "I'm not my father. I would never, ever, use Kat. I love her, remember?"

"I know." Spencer pursed his lips. "But you act like him. And you have that same damn sense of loyalty. Which causes me to mistrust your intentions but at the same time makes it very hard for me to stay mad at you right now. But I keep getting the image of you and Kat. When I do... I become filled with an intense rage." He ran his hand through his hair. "I trusted you Richard..."

"Trusted me to do what? To keep Kat a virgin until she turned 30? To take care of her? To be there when she needs me? To not hurt her? What?"

"I trusted you not to defile her or at least do it when I was guaranteed not to walk in on it." Spencer glared at Ricky. "But what is done is done I guess..." He slumped against the sofa, drained of energy and defeated. "I really wish I went out for a beer with the team... I would have even preferred to go horseback riding with Bridget than see what I have seen today..." He looked at Ricky. "Just... I know you won't stop doing what you... did... with her. Just, please use..." Spencer cringed. "protection. If you get her pregnant before she finishes university I swear to whatever higher power exists that I WILL castrate you."

"Promise. Until we are both ready for children I will use every means possible to prevent a pregnancy."

"And you must take care of her. If you make her cry I will hurt you."

Ricky nodded. "I promise. You know I will."

"And respect her..."

"I will. I promise that I will respect her for being the strong willed, smart, beautiful, woman you raised her to be."

"Good..." Spencer sighed. "Now," He pushed himself up. "I should go home and have this talk with Kat. I really hate being a parent some days." He dragged his body to the door. "Do yourself a favour Richard. If you and Kat have a daughter, lock her in a tower away from all males..."  
Spencer stopped when he realized what he had said. He turned around and glared at Ricky. "That was no means a green light to have children."

"No worries Uncle Spencer. I have no wish to become a father anytime soon..."

"Good." Spencer ruffled Ricky's hair. The first positive interaction that occurred between them since that fateful moment. "Say bye to your mom for me..." He slowly went out and closed the door.

Once Spencer's car had pulled out of the driveway, Ricky's leaned against the sofa and breathed a sigh of relief. He looked down at his crotch. "We're still here. This is a good sign."

"So," Grace came out of the kitchen eating an apple. "Uncle Spencer caught you banging Kat? The look on his face must have been priceless!"

Ricky glared at her. "I didn't pay attention to his face. I was..." He cast his eyes down on the floor out of embarrassment. "looking for my clothes..."

Grace put a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing. "Uncle Spencer saw you naked? Oh wow, that must have been... something else. I would have given anything to see your scrawny ass struggling to get dressed." She lost it and burst out laughing.

Penelope came out of the kitchen and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder "Grace, stop laughing at your brother. He's had a hard enough day."

"Mom..." Grace put a hand on the wall to hold herself up. "You shouldn't say that word right now. Oh my god, you are soo lucky Uncle Spencer is not here now... I'm sorry Ricky. This is just too funny." She went upstairs, laughing all the way.

"Why would saying hard be a bad..." Penelope's mouth formed an 'o' when she made the realization. "Clever girl... my little girl is twisted but clever."  
She walked up to Ricky and sat down on the sofa. "So, how did it go?"

"Well, I can still give your grandkids which I think is a good thing..."

"That it is." Penelope hugged her son. "I know today wasn't the best day but this is a memory both you and Kat will look back on in the future and laugh at. In fact, if you ever get married it is one of those stories that will pop up in a speech. Most likely by Grace."

Ricky shrugged. "I think, if I married her one day, we would elope."

"No Mister. You won't. You wouldn't do that to your poor mother would you?" Penelope pouted. "I only have one little man and you are it. And besides, Aunt Anna would ring your neck if you and her little girl were married without her."

"You're right." Ricky caved and sighed. "I could never go through such a life changing event without everyone there to witness it. With all due respect Mom. I don't want to think of getting married right now. I just want to be thankful for getting out of this alive."

/

Next morning Penelope dragged herself into work. She had spent most of the night, against her better judgement, looking at photo albums, running her fingers over old and new pictures, and taking her mind back into the past.

She couldn't help herself. Over the past five years time seemed to have sped up and her babies were growing up faster than she would have wished. Penelope needed to hold onto the past, the memories of their father and memories of their children when they were younger. She caught herself whispering the stories behind the pictures to the air. In her mind Derek was right beside her. Listening to every word.

Penelope dumped her bag on her desk and beelined it to the coffee room. She had already drank two cups at home and one on the way but in order for her mind to be in top shape for the millions of forms she had to fill out and the odd search for another team Penelope needed more caffeine. She twisted the lid off her mug and poured in the coffee, leaving enough room for her usual cream and sugar.

"Long night?"

She glanced up from her coffee at J.J.; the only other person that was there this early. "Yeah. Ricky kinda had a milestone yesterday and I needed to reminisce."

J.J. stirred in two packets worth of sugar. "And what would this milestone be?"

"Oh, if I told you Ricky would probably kill me..." An evil grin crossed her face. "but you'll probably hear it from Spencer. I am pretty sure he will voice his opinion on the matter this morning." She picked up her mug and began walking to her office. With her best friend right behind her.

"Hmm... Ricky, Spencer, and a Penelope with the smile of a Cheshire cat... my profiling skills tell me that this is going to be good. Now spill."

Penelope opened the door to her office and sat her coffee down beside one of her computers. "Alright. So I've been having this... feeling, call it mother's intuition, that something between Kat and Ricky was going to happen. And it did. Yesterday afternoon. After the team got back." She bit down on her lip. "Poor Spencer walked in on Kat and Ricky."

"Oh my..." J.J. put a hand over her mouth. "By walked in... you mean walked in when they were...?"

"Having sex?" Penelope bent over and began turning her systems on. "Yes. And not just that, but their first time."

J.J. stifled a laugh. "Please tell me you are kidding. Because that could not have happened."

"Oh believe me Chicka, it did happen and I swear that Spencer was going to kill Ricky. I had to block him from breaking down my front door."

"Seriously?" J.J. leaned against Penelope's desk. "Poor boy..."

Penelope moved her mouse and clicked a couple icons causing programs to start up. "Which one?"

J.J. moved out of the way to allow Penelope access to the monitor behind her. "Both. Ricky values his privacy and Spence never forgets anything.  
"God Pen... our babies are growing up. How did this happen?" She massaged her temple. "Henry is now in the BAU... I worry about him every time we go out but I know I can't let my personal feelings and worries get in the way of his job... Austin will graduate two years from now and will probably go to an out of state University... he's already talking about going to Oxford. One baby in a dangerous job, and another overseas. How am I supposed to cope and do this job?"

"Easy," Penelope reached out and took her friend's hand. "remember that you raised them to be good, honest, and strong men. And that no matter where they go they will always have a special connection to you: their mom.  
"Henry is a great agent and will probably go far in the BAU; I may be suspicious about him, but he really is a good young man. And Austin, as long as Jane lives he will always come back. You've done an awesome job J.J., you're like a Super Mom, but now it is time to begin letting them out in the world."

"Thanks." J.J. returned the gentle squeeze. "You have this amazing talent to make everything better; how is that?"

Penelope motioned to her screens. "I see an insane amount of horror on these screens. And I saw one person die; you've seen hundreds of dead bodies and people dying, and all the horror I see on my screens you guys deal with first hand. All of you need something to make you feel better, to cheer you guys up. Speaking of which," She pulled open a drawer and pulled a plastic button out and put it on her desk. "this is for you, my fearless leader."

"What is it?" J.J. looked. Her curiosity wanted to press it but her cautious side won out.

"It's a J.J. help call. Here." Penelope gently pushed the button.

_"Help me, help me! I'm drowning in paperwork. Oh god. I think I see a file folder. Crap, it spotted me. Heeeellllpppp! mmmmeeee"_ Came a high pitched voice.

"Whenever I hear this I will rush to your office and pull you away for some girl time." She picked up the button and shoved it in J.J.'s hands. "No ifs, ands, or butts. Unless it is Spencer saying butt. Then I can accept it."

J.J. shook her head. "Pen, I don't know how you are able to see when someone needs help." She ran a finger over the gift. "I've been struggling... Aaron was brilliant at this job. I am just... awkward. I thought after all these years I would be ready but I constantly feel like I'm not doing this job the way Aaron would want it done..."

"Hun, I'm going to give you a piece of good advice that someone very special gave me: do this job the way you want it done, not the way the previous person did it. Trust me when I say that Aaron would like you to find your own way of leading, of coping with the stress, of dealing with the pressure. J.J., wear your hair down, smile... go O.J., Original Jennifer."

"I'll try. But I don't know how I will do it..."

"Here," Penelope moved fast and slipped the hair elastic off of J.J.'s hair. "easy. Now all you have to do is be your awesome, intelligent, and ass kicking self. Remember when you kicked the ass of that one UnSub who wanted Henry? You were awesome then, you are awesome now."


End file.
